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Sevenoaks: Georgia Walsh, 16, 'killed herself after claiming she was sexually abused by stepdad'

A teenage girl killed herself just weeks after claiming she had been sexually abused by her stepfather, a court heard.

Georgia Walsh left a note after committing suicide last year declaring she hoped her alleged attacker, Brett Connell, would “rot in hell”.

The 16-year-old had a month before made statements to the police claiming that Connell, 36, had molested her in her bed when she was 13 or 14.

Georgia Walsh, 16, who took her own life (1567896)
Georgia Walsh, 16, who took her own life (1567896)

She spoke of feeling lost and scared and believing she had to “stay silent".

Prosecutor Dominic Connolly said it was not until February last year that Georgia made the allegations.

She told her mother and made a statement six days later.

But Georgia killed herself on March 17 after Connell was released on police bail.

"She left a note referring to how the stress from the current situation was too much to handle, and to ‘make sure he rots in hell for what he has done'," Mr Connolly told Maidstone Crown Court.

Her video recorded interview was played to the jury.

Connell, of Clare Way, Sevenoaks, denies sexual activity with a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Georgia claimed he usually gave her a peck on the cheek to kiss her goodnight but then started putting his tongue in her mouth.

"He came to tuck me into bed and kissed me on the cheek,” she said. "I said I was going to bed and went to roll over and he said 'No, kiss me properly'. He kissed me with his tongue and I tried to push him away.

"He then just got up and said goodnight and went down to mum. He literally just put his tongue in my mouth.

"I was confused, I was quite scared as well. I was, like, lost. I didn't know that was sexual assault."

Georgia said Connell progressed to touching her breasts.

Maidstone Crown Court, (1567379)
Maidstone Crown Court, (1567379)

"He would go to tuck me in and slide his hand up my shirt,” she said. “I would try to push him away but he would put his hand on my breasts. Sometimes he touched me on top (of clothing) but mostly it was under.

"I knew that it was wrong and I was just scared and didn't know what to do. That's when I was really confused.

"I just didn't know what to do and couldn't tell anyone, and just had to stay silent. That's when I started withdrawing from everyone.

"I started withdrawing from my friends. I was scared and wouldn't talk to them. I wouldn't tell anyone."

Connell, who worked in a coffee shop in Westerham, is also alleged to have touched Georgia more intimately.

"He touched me for about three or four seconds and then left and went downstairs," she said. "I kind of stood there and froze. I didn't know what had just happened.

"I cried after. I stood there for a good 10 minutes thinking about what had happened and then I cried. I got scared."

She said the behaviour stopped after she told her mother she believed Connell had taken a photo of her with a mobile phone while she was showering.

Mr Connolly told jurors they may think Connell was concerned about what else Georgia would reveal.

Still, the teenager kept her silence about what she claimed had happened.

When she did decide to confide in her mother she sobbed that she would not like what she was going to say. Her mother urged her: “Just tell me.”

Maidstone Crown Court. Stock picture (1567402)
Maidstone Crown Court. Stock picture (1567402)

Georgia told her she could not let Connell back into the house.

She said: “I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you. It's Brett. He has been doing stuff."

Her mother then video called her husband.

"When she spoke to him she wanted to see his face,” said Mr Connolly. “She said she needed to talk to him about something, and that she had been told some stuff had been going on that shouldn't.”

When he asked “Like what?” she replied: “Really bad stuff'." Connell stated he had not touched anyone.

"At that point she had said nothing about alleged touching,” said Mr Connolly. “She called the police."

Connell denies five offences of sexual activity with a child. He also denies 11 other sex offences unrelated to Georgia.

The jury of nine women and three men was told that as Georgia had committed suicide she could not appear as a witness.

The judge, Recorder Peter Guest, said: "You may be tempted immediately to jump to the conclusion that the defendant is in some way responsible for her death.

"You should not do that. You must keep an open mind, listen to the evidence, speeches and summing up before reaching any conclusions."

He stressed that Georgia's account could not be tested or challenged by Connell’s lawyer.

"It is important you keep these disadvantages that face the defence in these circumstances at the forefront of your mind," he added.

The jury was told Georgia died after running in front of a train at Dunton Green railway station.

The trial continues.

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