On the third day of the trial of Ian Silvester at Lewes Crown Court, the jury heard accounts from five men who have reported alleged occasions of sexual abuse by the Portslade man.
A police statement from 2020 was read out to the court, in which a man described an alleged incident in the changing rooms of a swimming pool as a boy, after Silvester, now 60, had conducted a group swimming session.
He reported being pinned down on his back on the floor of the changing room by fellow members of his scout group and tickled all over, which he says was initiated by Silvester.
He described how the tickling was all over his body, including over the top of his trunks, which left him “anxious” and “breathless”.
The man said that the incident had “affected his life in a detrimental way”, including making him question his sexuality.
READ MORE: Man says scout leader abused him during first aid training
The court was also shown a police interview from 2020 in which one man described his experiences with Silvester.
He reports being asked to clean out the scout hut with Silvester and told he would need to bring his swimming trunks with him. Upon arrival at the hut, after being picked up by Silvester in his car, he found himself to be alone with him, he said.
He added: “I didn’t think I was going to be on my own with him.
“At some point I found myself laying face down across his lap. He is administering what was known as the jungle treatment.”
The boy was in his swimming trunks at this time.
“This was a game where he would stroke or touch your back and you would have to make a guess as to what sort of animal it might be”, he said.
“My younger self thinks this is a great game.”
READ MORE: ‘Vulnerable’ boys and young men were ‘groomed’ by first aid trainer, court hears
The man, who was aged between eight and ten at the time, said he told his mother about the incident afterwards and remembers his dad being “angry”.
He added: “The thing in my head is, was that contact sexual?
“I was on my own with him in the scout hut.
“He engineered that and I did think that couldn’t be anything else.
“There was a lot of planning, getting me there and getting me with my swimming trunks there.”
Another man also appeared in court to describe his alleged experiences of Silvester’s “jungle treatment”, involving being tickled and touched on the chest and back and having to guess what animal the touch related to, such as ants or elephants, in the back room of the scout hut.
READ MORE: ‘Large amount’ of images of young boys found on ex scout leader’s devices, court told
A total of 19 men have accused Silvester of sexual abuse as children or young men over a period of around 30 years.
Silvester, of Locks Hill in Portslade, is a former scout leader, babysitter, first aid volunteer at St John Ambulance, first aid trainer and diving instructor.
He has been charged with 83 counts of sexual abuse, including indecent assaults and possession of indecent images. He denies all the charges.
The trial continues.
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