“She said the families couldn’t be friends anymore.

“I understood I was being accused of doing something of a serious sexual nature to [the child] and that the authorities were informed and an investigation was underway.”

State prosecutor Sean Stocks previously told the court Hayward and the girl had a close bond from the time she was born, and that he would regularly put her to bed and kiss her goodnight.

“He fell asleep on her bed on at least one occasion,” Stocks said.

“He would get under the covers while he was reading to her.”

The court heard Hayward and the girl would communicate via a children’s app called Messenger Kids and play online games together such as Roblox.

The court heard Hayward’s wife warned him of the closeness of his relationship with the child, in the event an allegation such as this arose but he said he was only ever in the room with the door open, with her parents’ knowledge and mostly when the child’s older sister was also in the room.

″It was said you had a special interest in [the child],” Percy asked Hayward.

“I totally reject that,” he said.

When the other allegations were put to him, he said “it is a complete and utter lie. I’ve never done any indecent act towards [the child] ever.”

The trial will continue on Thursday.

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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