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A jury has cleared a Navy captain of allegations that he sexually touched a 10-year-old girl during a late-night visit to the family’s home.
After deliberating for just under two hours, jurors on Wednesday found Daniel Anthony Craig Lindquist not guilty of four charges of sexual touching of a child.
During a week-long criminal trial, the 35-year-old’s defense team claimed he entered the girl’s bedroom in Queanbeyan, outside Canberra, in the early hours hours of March 21, 2022, out of paternal concern after hearing her move.
The girl, who cannot be legally identified, was allegedly shot twice on her genitals, once on the buttocks and once on the chest.
Defense lawyer Adam Faro told the jury during his opening address that Mr. Lindquist was in “dad mode” when he entered the room and found the girl half out of bed.
A jury has cleared Navy Capt. Daniel Anthony Craig Lindquist (pictured) of allegations he sexually touched a 10-year-old girl during an overnight visit to the family’s home.
Mr Faro said his client picked the girl up and noticed her pajama pants were riding up between the crease of her thigh and her groin.
As he took off his pants, the girl woke up, Mr Faro told the Queanbeyan District Court.
“Any physical contact was normal physical contact, without sexual connotations,” he said.
Prosecutors alleged that Mr. Lindquist deliberately separated the girl’s legs, lifted her underwear, touched her legs and then placed his hand outside of her genital area.
Crown prosecutor Talitha Hennessy told the court the girl pretended to be asleep when he first touched her before covering her genitals, leading him to touch her on Chest.
Mr Lindquist was captain of HMAS Larrakia and was stationed at the Larrakeyah Defense District, outside Darwin, before being posted to Sydney in early 2022.
In March of that year, he visited the girl and her family at their home and stayed for a weekend.
After Mr Lindquist returned to Sydney, the girl revealed what had happened to her parents and grandparents who reported the matter to police, the court heard.
Police were also told that Mr. Lindquist had touched the girl’s sister by putting his hand down her pants while she sat on his lap, Ms. Hennessy said.
Daniel Lindquist (left) is pictured arriving at Queanbeyan Court, New South Wales, Tuesday March 12, 2024.
“(He) has a particular tendency, that is, a tendency to have a sexual interest in children and to act accordingly,” she told the court.
The charges against Mr Lindquist only related to the girl he was accused of abusing in Queanbeyan and not his sister.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redressal Service 1800 211 028