More than 800 pages of social media messages between a police officer and a young woman was "almost equivalent … to a chronicle of how to groom and take advantage of someone," prosecutors have argued.
Senior Sergeant Patrick Carson has pleaded not guilty to two charges of sexual intercourse without consent and has been on trial in the Northern Territory Supreme Court for more than a week.
He is accused of twice sexually assaulting a young woman he befriended in 2020 — the first alleged incident during a massage and the second on a couch at a house in Darwin's northern suburbs.
On Monday, Senior Crown prosecutor Marty Aust closed the prosecution case and in his final address to the jury encouraged them to find the alleged victim was "honest and reliable" in her accounts of the alleged rapes.
Alleged victim 'the perfect prey', court hears
The court heard the complainant, who cannot be identified, became friends with Mr Carson in 2020 and the pair exchanged texts, Facebook messages and created a "secret" chat to keep Mr Carson's "ever worried wife at arm's length."
"I would suggest to you that when you read [the messages] you choose to read from start to finish," Mr Aust said.
"It's almost equivalent to a document that is a chronicle of how to groom and take advantage of someone."
Mr Aust suggested the accused made the complainant "feel special" and made himself "the most important person" in her life, citing evidence she would call him when things were difficult in her life.
The court heard the complainant said she saw the accused as a "father figure."
"[The complainant is] a teenage girl described as shy, lacking confidence, socially inadequate, immature … she's a bit silly," Mr Aust suggested.
"She's the perfect prey for Mr Carson and when he ultimately takes advantage of her, given the dynamic [of their relationship] she's going to accept his apologies."
Mr Aust told the court Mr Carson had bought 'gifts' for the complainant two days after the first alleged incident and asked jurors to find him guilty on both charges.
Defence calls no witnesses
Defence Barrister Mary Chalmers SC began her final address to the jury on Monday afternoon, after electing not to call any witnesses in response to the Crown case.
She told the court in criminal trials, there is usually "one telling piece" of evidence which "throws light on the weakness and sham that is the crown case."
"The really telling piece of evidence is this: on the 16th of July 2020 after [the complainant] says she's been violently raped not once, but twice by Mr Carson, she sends him a message," Ms Chalmers SC said.
"It says: 'Sally misses you secretly'."
Ms Chalmers SC told the jury the message was a "direct reference" to an activity the accused and complainant participated in months earlier.
She described the complainant as "an exaggerator, a twister of facts to suit her own narratives and in some instances, a barefaced liar."
Ms Chalmers SC referred to a "fantastical tale" the complainant told, about an incident in which she was attacked by a man while riding her bike.
The court heard the complainant did not recall the specifics of the incident when asked about it during her closed-court evidence last week.
"If you're grabbed by someone while you're riding your bike … it's unlikely something you would forget," Ms Chalmers SC said.
"If someone can't recall an incident, they've probably lied about it," she said.
Defence rejects 'grooming' accusation
Ms Chalmers SC told jurors the complainant was "infatuated" with Mr Carson and rejected the prosecution's assertions that the accused had "groomed" the alleged victim.
She said messages between the pair had sexual innuendo and that the alleged victim had compared herself to Mr Carson's wife.
"It's quite clear from the messages that she's presenting herself as somewhat more mature and worldly than perhaps she really was … so I'll ask you who's grooming who here," Ms Chalmers SC said.
"She's putting him in the protector role and he's falling for it hook, line and sinker, much to the annoyance of Mrs Carson."
Ms Chalmers SC is expected to conclude her final address to the jury when the trial resumes on Tuesday.
