Tuesday 6 April 2021

Family Friend Denies Molesting Their Daughter

A sexual predator befriended a family and molested their daughter for four years while threatening to lie she was a child prostitute if she reported him, a jury were told today, 

The abuse began when the girl was 14 years-old and progressed from kissing to entering her bedroom at night and also groping her between her legs, the court heard.


Richard Kwabena Asubonteng, 49, of Latrigg Road, Carlisle denies ten counts of sexually abusing the teenager at various locations in south-west London between 2015 and 2019.


He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child; six counts of sexual assault;  one count of assault by penetration and one count of causing the complainant to engage in sexual activity.


Prosecutor Peter Clement told Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court the abuse began with touching and kissing in the girl’s bedroom when she was 14 years-old.


“This was no peck on the cheek, this was a kiss on the mouth by an adult.


“The nature of the sexual contact increased in intensity as time progressed.”


One charge covers an incident when Asubonteng pressed his crotch into the girl’s back when she was getting ready to go to church, the jury were told.


She was molested while doing the washing up and the abuse increased to Asubonteng exposing her breasts, said the prosecutor.


When she visited his flat he pushed his finger between her legs and made her kiss him intimately, it was alleged and groped her thigh during a church service.


The final incident was Asubonteng entering her bedroom one night when he was sleeping over as a guest, wearing just his boxer shorts, and telling the teen: “I want to lick you,” added Mr Clement.


“The defendant had befriended the girl’s mother and he was invited to the family home and to church.


“The prosecution case is he breached their trust for his own sexual gratification.”


There were early signs of Asubonteng’s interest in the girl, the prosecutor told the jury. “He made comments about how nice she looked.


“He was not challenged and his behaviour progressed to a sexual nature and contact over time.


“It began with a kiss on the mouth and he told her: ‘I want there to be a connection’.


“She said: ‘You’re so disgusting. No,’ but she did not tell anyone and felt ashamed at what happened and was scared to say anything and kept quiet.


“She was putting make-up on in the downstairs loo when he pushed his groin against her backside and other occasions when she was washing-up.


“He kissed her on the mouth after going out for a burger and also lifted her top and bra up and kissed her breasts.”


Married father Asubonteng also pounced when the girl was at his flat, the court heard.


“He grabbed her and said: ‘I want to sex you,’ and put his hand down her trousers and inside her pants.


“He exposed himself and forced her to the floor and pushed her head down to kiss him.”


A relative witnessed suspicious behaviour at a church service in Mitcham. “They saw Asubonteng reach out and touch her thigh  under her skirt and he stroked her hand.


“The defendant threatened her to keep quiet and if she did say something he would say she was a child prostitute.”


Trial continues……………  

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