Former Australian Diplomat's Spouse Faces Court Over Alleged Child Sexual Offences In Spain
An ACT court has heard recorded taped evidence from a young girl who was allegedly molested in Spain by one of Australia's top diplomats' husband.
The husband of the former Australian ambassador to Spain and a well-known artist himself, Vytas Bronius Kapociunas, 71, appeared in the ACT Supreme Court on Friday. He was charged in 2014 after a young girl at an Australian embassy in Madrid accused him of sexually assaulting her.
The artist is accused of three charges of sexual offence with a child outside of Australia. A complaint was made to the Australian Federal Police against him.
The court on Friday heard an audio version of a police interview with the girl, where she explained the events that led to the alleged molestation. According to her, Kapociunas molested her three times on the same day. Earlier this year, the girl was quoted saying, he "kisses me on the lips, and here," later, pointing to her private parts.
Wife Bore The Brunt Of Husband’s Misconduct
Jane Hardy, a former diplomat and Kapociunas' wife returned early from her term as Australia's ambassador to Spain in November 2014 after her husband's arrest two months earlier. She could complete only two years of her originally designated three years of services in the country.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade informed Ms. Hardy's return was mutually agreed upon and have emphasised that she doesn’t face any "no allegations of inappropriate or illegal behavior."
The Case So Far
The prosecutors said, the girl told her mother at night of the incident that she wanted "to tell her a secret". Prosecutors also told the court that Kapociunas was only playing with the girl. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in the ACT Magistrates Court in October 2014.
Accompanying His Wife Across The World
Vytas Bronius Kapociunas studied art in South Australia and stayed in Spain, France and Britain before getting married to Ms. Hardy in 1982. Since marriage, he has been accompanying her on all her diplomatic postings to countries such as Malaysia, South Korea, the United States, and Spain.
Contact the writer on barsha23@gmail.com
