A GIRL has given evidence in court that a family friend sexually assaulted her in her own home.
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The Northern Tasmanian man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty in the Launceston Supreme Court today to aggravated sexual assault and indecent assault.
In his opening address, Crown prosecutor Peter Sherriff told the court that the incident occurred in early 2010 when the man was living with the girl's family.
Mr Sherriff said the complainant was 11 years old at the time.
The girl was at home alone, playing a Nintendo Wii video game in the loungeroom, when the man arrived home in the late afternoon, he said.
Mr Sherriff said the accused looked "a bit out of sorts", like he needed a hug.
The incident occurred when the man and the girl were hugging, he said.
Defence counsel Adrian Hall, in his opening statement, said his client did nothing of the sort and there was not even a hug.
Mr Hall said the complainant could not give a precise date when the incident occurred and had not gone to police until more than a year later with her complaint.
The girl, now 16, gave evidence via video-link.
She told the court that when the man arrived home from work, he sat on the couch and asked her for a hug, because he had had a bad day.
The girl said she sat next to him on the couch and they gave each other a hug.
She said the man unzipped his trousers, put his hand down the front of her tracksuit pants and grabbed her hand, then placed it on top of his exposed genitalia.
This is when the sexual assault and indecent assault occurred, the girl said.
The trial, before Justice Robert Pearce, continues.