Pedophile Lara sexually abused teenage girl and left her 'frozen'

Troy John Pyle, 44, was found guilty Friday evening of eight counts, including seven counts of sexual assault by contact of a child under 16 and one count of sexual penetration of a child under under 16 years old.

The jury heard testimony from the prosecution and defense outlining their arguments and returned a guilty verdict after two days of deliberation.

Pyle was dressed in casual attire throughout the trial and was supported by his family who heard the shocking case against the man who molested a 14-year-old girl.

The offenses took place between February 2019 and August 2019.

Crown prosecutor Yildana Hardjadibrata told the court that Pyle touched the complainant's hips and buttocks, above and below her underwear, kissing her on the lips with his tongue and, on one occasion, penetrating her with his fingers.

The court heard the offenses left the victim “frozen” and that Pyle had groomed the victim and was able to act in a “particularly brazen manner” because he had “gained her trust and emotional dependence”.

Mr Hardjadibrata told the jury that in addition to the offenses he was charged with, Mr Pyle had communicated inappropriately with the complainant and demonstrated inappropriate behavior towards her from June 2018.

It showed Mr Pyle had an “inappropriate sexual interest” in the complainant and “demonstrated his willingness to act on that sexual interest”, Mr Hardjadibrata told the jury.

The court heard Mr Pyle also began referring to the complainant using terms such as “little girl” within two months of meeting her.

In the messages, Mr Pyle allegedly greeted the complainant with “hello beautiful” several times and asked her if she “ever missed him”.

Mr Hardjadibrata told the jury the complainant initially revealed the alleged incidents to a friend in late 2019 and first came to police in May 2021.

He told the court the complainant was a truthful and reliable witness who gave “detailed and vivid accounts” and was consistent in her complaints about Pyle's behaviour.

Mr Pyle's defense lawyer, Paul Stefanovic, told the jury the prosecution's case fell “far short of” proving the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt, and said none of the alleged offenses had taken place.

The complainant was a “troubled teenager”, Mr Stefanovic said, who “sat” on the allegations for two years and might have had reason to lie, while his client was a good man who would have “taken a risk huge “.

Pyle was taken into custody after the jury returned its verdict and will next appear in court on August 2 for a plea hearing.

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