Man in court over alleged sex assault

May 29 2009

A SCHOOLGIRL has told a court that she was sexually assaulted as she slept over at a pal’s house.

The fourteen-year-old girl, who cannot be identified, claims she was subjected to the sex attack in October last year.

David Heartfield, 30, allegedly crept into the bedroom the youngster was sleeping in and assaulted her.

She says she awoke to find him fondling her.

The girl told a trial at Ayr Sheriff Court this week that after the alleged assault she felt dirty and cried.

Speaking from behind a screen, the schoolgirl told the court how she had been at a house party with her 19-year-old cousin and some pals.

She said Heartfield had arrived in the early hours of October 19 and at about 4.30am she retired to bed.

She continued: “I fell asleep quite quickly but woke up about 7am because the man who was in the house when I went to bed was in the room.”

The girl went on to tell the court that Heartfield was sitting on the bed when he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

She added: “It lasted for a couple of seconds because I woke up. I didn’t know what to say, I felt dirty, I don’t know how to describe it.”

She continued: “I felt him go to do it again, I felt his hand go back on my leg and I said ‘get out’. He went out, he said sorry. I didn’t respond.

“I didn’t know what to do. I cried because he’d done that to me. I stayed in the bedroom until I heard my cousin and her friend get up.”

Sheriff Jack McGowan heard that the youngster told her cousin and her friend – who lived in the house – that morning, but that she didn’t want her mum to know.

However, two weeks later, the young girl told her mum and the police were contacted.

Giving evidence, the cousin’s 23-year-old friend said she had spoken to Heartfield after the alleged incident.

She said: “He told me it was an honest mistake, he thought it was either me or my friend.

“But it doesn’t make a difference if it was me or my friend. It doesn’t give him any right to do that.”

Heartfield, of Stayamire Cottage, Glaisnock Road, Cumnock, denies sexually assaulting the girl at a house in Mauchline in the early hours of October 19 last year.

The trial continues.