A former North-West Scouts leader allegedly sexually abused six young boys across a 14-year period between the 1970s and 1990s, a court was told Tuesday.
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One of the boys, now a 58-year-old man, said he was so ashamed of what occurred and that he blamed himself because he "froze" and did not resist the abuse as it was happening.
The accused man has pleaded not guilty to a range of sexual abuse charges relating to the six children, including persistent sexual abuse of a child or young person and maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person.
Crown prosecutor Mick Allen told the jury in the Supreme Court in Burnie that the man, now 88-years-old, had a sexual interest in young boys and a tendency to act on that interest.
The man cannot be named as doing so may identify his alleged victims.
Mr Allen told the jury that the majority of the abuse occurred in tents on Scouts' camping trips at various locations across the North-West, and there was also an alleged incident in Victoria.
I was scared. I wanted to run away. I'm only a kid. I don't know what's going on.
- Alleged abuse victim
He said aside from two brothers, none of the other complainants knew each other or were aware of the others' allegations.
Despite that, Mr Allen said, the jury would see distinct similarities among the allegations of each of the complainants as they gave evidence in the coming two-week trial.
The first trial witness, the uncle of one of the complainants by marriage, said his nephew first told him more than 40 years ago that he was being abused.
The witness said he "tried to be" a father figure to the complainant.
"He was one hell of a mess. Very, very upset and crying," the witness told the jury.
"Just after that [he] started to stutter very badly. It really upset him, the poor young man."
That complainant gave evidence in the trial on Tuesday, and broke down in tears explaining the abuse he said he suffered.
He said the accused man sexually abused him in a tent on a Scouts' trip when he was a boy.
"I was scared, I wanted to run away," he said through tears.
"I'm only a kid, I don't know what's going on.
"I didn't say no. I didn't say anything."
The trial before Justice Michael Brett continues.
For support, you can call Launceston sexual assault support service Laurel House on 6334 2740.
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