LONDON, ONT. -- GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: The trial for a man accused of abducting and sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl on Mother’s Day in 2018 began Monday.
Lawrence Allen Thompson, 68, pleaded not guilty to four counts including sexual assault and kidnapping as the trial got underway.
Thompson was arrested and charged after a four-year-old girl was taken while playing outside in a northeast London neighbourhood in May of 2018.
Crown Attorney Kristina Mildred told the court that, “Lawrence Thompson stopped his vehicle, picked up (the girl) and placed her in his vehicle.”
According to police reports at the time, Thompson is alleged to have driven a short distance through the neighbourhood with the girl and touched her inappropriately.
The girl, who is now seven and can’t be identified, was the first to testify.
The court was shown her 2018 police interview in which she tells an officer, “He said I’m going take you home.”
She also told the officer, "He pulled down my pants...he pulled down my underwear too...I was in the front seat...he slapped my bum."
In the video she describes the man involved as having "crinkly skin" and said "there was candies in the front pocket" when she got into the car.
She eventually described telling the man she wanted to get out of the car, and said she got out near a neighbour's house.
Thompson, a former janitor with the Thames Valley District School Board until 2014, has been accused of sexual assault and sexual interference before.
In 2009 he entered a peace bond and was not convicted of the charges he was facing at the time.
The trial is expected to be wrapped up by the end of this week.
None of these charges have been proven in court.
- With files from CTV's Nick Paparella
