Connor Lind: Rugby player accused of engaging in sexual acts with underage girls to learn his fate

The jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of a promising young Sydney rugby player accused of having sex with two underage girls.

Connor Lind, 23, has been on trial in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court for the past three weeks after denying sexual acts with a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl.

He pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual intercourse with a child and one count of intentional sexual touching of a child. The jury retired Tuesday afternoon to discuss the verdict.

According to the Public Prosecution Service, Mr. Lind was 19 years old when he had anal, oral and digital sex with the alleged 14-year-old victim.

The girl told police in a recorded interview, shown to the jury during the trial, that she had had anal sex in his room.

During cross-examination by Mr Lind’s lawyer, Lisa-Claire Hutchinson, the girl was informed that she had never engaged in sexual acts with Lind.

She said repeatedly, “Not true.”

The girl was not yet 16 years old at the time, but Mr Lind denied in his statement to the jury that the acts ever took place.

The court was told that Mr Lind’s defence stated that he wanted to play professional rugby and become a teacher and did not want to jeopardise his future.

He also claimed that he wanted to respect the girl’s wish not to have sex before marriage.

Mr Lind told the jury that he had hugged the minor and that they had kissed “a few times”.

He stated in his statement that he had set clear boundaries because he knew the girl was too young to consent to sexual acts.

“I said that because of the age difference, nothing sexual could happen,” he told the jury.

Mr Lind told the jury he became aroused during the cuddle but ‘immediately stopped’.

He has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual contact in connection with an allegation that he touched the girl’s abdomen and inner thigh while she was sitting on the couch.

The court was told that Mr Lind denied touching her below her abdominal area.

He is also said to have put his hand down the pants of another 15-year-old girl while sitting in his car on Dee Why beach.

Mr Lind’s defence has denied the allegation and he has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse with a child

Mr Lind’s defence denies the allegation and he has pleaded not guilty to the charge of sexual intercourse with a child.

The jury played a video interview with the second plaintiff, who alleged that Mr Lind had put his hand down her pants and touched her vagina without her consent.

The court was told they were sitting in the front seat of Mr Lind’s red Jeep, which was parked on Dee Why beach, when he kissed her.

“It happened so quickly, I don’t remember how we ended up kissing, it happened so quickly,” the girl said during her police interrogation, played out in court.

Mr Lind denied the allegation and Ms Hutchinson argued that the girl had not immediately reported the incident to her friends, had told them about the kiss but had not said it was against her will, the court was told.

After deliberation, the jury will announce its verdict.