A TRIAL has started for a man accused of sexually assaulting two teenage girls in Oxford city centre.
Daniel Walsh, 33, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court this week charged with two counts of sexual assault which allegedly occurred on October 29 last year.
He is accused of approaching two teenage girls in Cornmarket Street and touching them inappropriately while ‘promising drugs, sex and parties’.
READ MORE: First two witnesses in murder trial - woman accused of stabbing boyfriend
Walsh, of Abingdon Road, Oxford, has denied the offences and the trial is expected to last four to five days.
During the trial on Tuesday (September 3), one of the girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence from the stand.
She said: “He was giving compliments saying he was spiritual that [my friend] was very attractive. It made me feel unsafe.
“He was obviously a lot older than me and I felt quite vulnerable. It was casual conversation and then he said he could offer us things like drugs, sex, and parties.
“He was just very forward and aggressive at some points. It didn’t seem like he had any shame in what he was saying at to me and [my friend].
READ MORE: Scales of Justice: The latest cases from Oxford Magistrates' Court
“He was very forward and confident in what he was saying. When we’d say no to giving him our phone numbers he didn’t like it.”
The girl said that they had called two nearby boys over for help but this had allegedly made Walsh angry.
“He got quite aggressive to them,” she said. “I was in a position where I didn’t really know what to do say.
“We were very eager to leave but we didn’t if we in a safe situation to leave or not.”
The jury heard the girl took a photo with Walsh, claiming she knew she’d need a photograph to take to the police.
“I asked to take a selfie with him in a friendly way,” she said. “So he would do it, so I could give it to the police if they asked.”
She said the pair then went to a nearby HMV store and called police.
During cross-examination, Walsh’s defence barrister Gordana Austen said: “You could have just walked away but you thought it was funny?
READ MORE: Staff member sentenced for stealing over £4,000 in cash from petrol station
“You said he touched your shoulder and you didn’t say, ‘Hey, what are you doing? No one from the general public intervened?”
The girl replied: “I didn’t think it was funny, if I thought it was funny I wouldn’t have taken it to the police and I wouldn’t be here today.”
The trial continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article