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Hughes jury goes out to consider verdict

After more than five weeks of hearing allegations that Hey Dad! actor Robert Hughes assaulted young girls, the jury has gone out to consider its verdict.

Robert Hughes leaves the Downing Centre Courts in Sydney
The jury in the trial of Hey Dad! actor Robert Hughes has retired to consider a verdict. (AAP)

After nearly six weeks of listening to sexual and indecent assault allegations against Hey Dad! actor Robert Hughes, the jury has now gone out to consider a verdict.

Hughes, who played Martin Kelly in the hit Australian TV show, has pleaded not guilty to 11 sexual and indecent assault charges dating back to the 1980s and 1990s.

Since the trial started on February 24, the jury at Sydney's District Court has heard a range of allegations, from stories of Hughes wearing nothing under a sarong and regularly exposing himself, to accusations he abused an 11-year-old girl.

One of the five alleged victims has previously told the court that Hughes came into her bedroom when she was sleeping over at his home on Sydney's north shore in the early 1980s.

She said Hughes forced her to touch him, afterwards saying she was a "good girl" and to go back to sleep.

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When she was seven years old, the girl's father told the court, she had come to him saying: "I don't like the games Robert plays with me".

The court also heard allegations Hughes walked and swam naked at a friends pool and flashed a co-worker on the set of the hit show.

Hughes has denied all charge.

He's been supported during the trial by his partner Robyn Gardiner and their daughter Jessica Hughes.

When Hughes took the stand, the 65-year-old made regular eye contact with the jury, saying he never swam or walked around naked and he never assaulted young girls.

In making his closing submissions in Hughes's defence on Monday, Greg Walsh questioned the allegations of the five women, saying that "rumour and innuendo" had played a role in the case.

Judge Peter Zahra directed the jury consider their verdict just before noon on Thursday.


2 min read

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Source: AAP


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