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Man accused of sex offence a ‘caring person’
Crime news
A defence witness has told a court how a man accused of sexual activity with a child was a “kind and caring person with a lot of patience”.
Youth project co-ordinator Christopher Midgley, 26, of Brookside, Coppull, Chorley, denies charges of sexual activity with a child.
The alleged victim, now 17, was a pupil at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy in Darwen, where Midgley was employed and has told the court they met when he was 14.
In a statement read to the jury at Preston Crown Court, Katie White, who worked alongside Midgley on a Prince’s Trust course, described him as being “full of empathy”.
She said he would buy the young people bread out of his own money so that they could have toast.
Rosalind Emsley-Smith, defending, read the statement: “The young people had not all had a good start in life but he would never judge them on that.
“He had a positive influence on many young lives during his time as a support worker.”
Miss White went on to describe how Midgley had defended a young person who had been falsely accused of stealing from a work placement.
The allegations relate to a time when he was involved in running an after-hours ‘entrepreneurship council’ the boy was a member of.
Previously the alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury how the youth worker used his car as a place where they would kiss and hold hands.
The prosecution and defence barristers addressed the jury of six men and six women on Friday afternoon. Judge Byrne is expected to sum up the evidence on Monday before they are sent out to consider their verdicts.
(Proceeding)
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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