Dentist case progression like pulling teeth

Update

GEORGE NEWS - George dentist Dr Ian Venter appeared in the Thembalethu Regional Court for the umpteenth time on Tuesday 5 December.

It is alleged that Venter sexually abused a boy (13), a friend of his teenage son, at his house in Herold's Bay on the evening of 11 April 2015 while the boy was visiting Venter's house.

Two of Venter's children were set to testify on Tuesday, but his legal representative, John Gillespie, applied for Venter's minor son to testify in camera.

The application was denied and it was then decided not to call the children as witnesses.

Trauma report
In her trauma report, social worker Ninke Stanley said the court was a stressful environment for a child and it would cause undue stress and trauma if the boy (15) had to testify in an open court.

State prosecutor Hankie Marx opposed the request and argued that although the boy is a minor, he is not the victim in the case and can thus testify.

The case was postponed to the following day, Wednesday 6 December, for final arguments in the George Regional Court.

Closing arguments
In his closing argument Marx said that the victim was an innocent, happy boy.

He said he found it hard to believe that the boy would fabricate such a story, especially since the boy did not know Venter very well and also had no knowledge of his past convictions.

Gillespie told the court that the credibility of the witnesses should be taken into account.

He indicated that there were differences in the version of events between the first and second reports which the victim submitted to the police.

History
Venter moved into the witness stand in October 2016, denying that he had ever assaulted the victim or that he was in the victim's room on the night of the alleged incident.

He testified that the alleged victim and his son "played together very well" and that the victim had slept over at their house three times before.

In his testimony Venter also said that he had assumed the victim's parents were informed of his background.

He testified that when friends want to visit his children or sleep over, they must inform the parents of who their father is, that he has a previous conviction and is under house arrest.

Venter testified that on the evening of the alleged incident, they enjoyed a braai and after he had cleaned the kitchen, he went to bed.

In his testimony, the victim said that Venter came into his room and sat on his bed. He said Venter tickled him and made reference to his genitals, systematically moved his hands down and touched him.

He told Venter he did not like it and asked him to leave the room.

Previous conviction
In November 2014, Venter was placed under house arrest after he was convicted of a sex charge involving a minor who was 15 years old at the time.

Five months after this conviction, he was arrested in connection with the sexual abuse case currently being heard.