A “Sugar Daddy” told his 14-year-old online date to “be a nice girl” while he sexually assaulted her on his canal houseboat, the court heard.
The girl and Adrian Harvey, 50, had intercourse on board the “Wild Goose” when it was moored in the Grand Union Canal, although Adrian Harvey said he thought the girl was 18 and gave his approval.
At the time she met the defendant at Liverpool Street train station, the girl was wearing a skirt, fishnet stockings, long socks, and platform shoes. According to the prosecutor, she had even packed “bondage gear” and had registered as an 18-year-old on the dating website.
Harvey has entered a not guilty plea to both charges of raping the youngster on the barge when it was docked at Mitre Bridge in west London on March 15, 2021, and to one count of sexually abusing the minor.
They had exchanged explicit texts while corresponding on the ‘Sugar Daddy’ dating website Seeking Arrangements.
The girl said authorities she spent 10 minutes talking to Harvey the day before and that he handed her some money.
They grabbed a taxi to his houseboat after she made the trip to see him again.
In a police videotaped interview, she said to the jury, “I began chatting to him online four or five days before I met him in person.”
“When I stepped aboard the boat, he instructed me to set my things down, handed me a drink of water, and then he commanded me to take off my clothing.
I began taking them off when he touched me, had intercourse with me, and then started caressing me once more.
I’m unsure whether he added anything to it.
“I felt good at first, but after that I felt incredibly drowsy and rapidly fatigued.”
She rated her level of fatigue as “7-8” out of 10.
The girl told police that as the taxi crossed downtown London on its way to the houseboat, she started to feel scared.
I worried that I may perish. I had no idea what would transpire or that I would not see my loved ones again.
She continued, giving further information, “He said: “Stand up,” yanked my arm, and instructed me to take off my clothing, and I was afraid he may injure me if I didn’t.
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He started stroking me while staring at me from every angle.
“I believe I was more afraid than anything else.” I had no actual idea what he would do or what would transpire.
What if I was under the influence of anything and he used me, kidnapped me, or abused me?
The child said that Harvey had harassed her sexually and that she could hear water outside.
I was afraid, she continued. really terrified It did not appeal to me and was really uncomfortable.
She said that Harvey also got nude. “He removed his shirt, pants, and underwear.” I was able to see everything since he was absolutely nude.
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You’re going to watch me shower, he stated as he stripped. Then he took a shower.
She said that Harvey talked to her during one of the rapes. I believe he said, “Be a nice girl,” or words to that effect.
I didn’t want that to happen again and wished for it to end since it was unpleasant.
Around receiving a number of panicked calls from the girl’s relatives, Mr. Fairley told the jury that the girl’s father picked her up at a nearby gas station after 10 p.m.
However, the Crown claims that the complainant is consistent about what transpired aboard the boat. “The complainant stated a lot of falsehoods in this instance,” the prosecutor said.
The defendant acknowledges having intercourse with her, but claims during his police interview that he mistakenly believed she was eighteen years old.
He claims there was no sexual assault or rape, and everything was voluntary. You will need to answer that $64,000 question, he informed the jurors.
Mr. Fairley acknowledged the girl’s “18 year-old” dating site profile.
He effectively claims that everything was consensual, that she brought bondage gear, and that there were several WhatsApp conversations in which the two had communicated beforehand and had discussed things that were sexual in nature.
When her father came to pick her up, she informed him where the houseboat was, and Harvey was later taken into custody by the police.
The trial goes on.