Jury begins to deliberate its verdict in indecent assault trial of Olympian Arthur Parkin

The jury is now deliberating its verdict in the Arthur Parkin trial. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The jury has begun to deliberate on whether Olympian Arthur Parkin indecently assaulted three young girls more than 30 years ago.

Parkin faces five charges of indecently assaulting the complainants in Whangarei, Auckland and Coromandel between 1975 and 1983.

This morning, Judge Robert Ronayne urged jurors to make the "decision without fear, sympathy or prejudice" before summarising the two competing arguments that had been put to them.

He said crown prosecutor Fiona Culliney had argued the pattern of the behaviour in the allegations and the similarity in the age of complainants was relevant.

The Crown had argued those witnesses were compelling and honest recounting core facts at times with "vivid" detail.

"The Crown asks you not to get bogged down in small and frankly irrelevant detail," he said.

Judge Ronayne said the defence disputed all charges except for one partial admission, in which Parkin had admitted the second complainant had seen his exposed erection and that he had asked if she wanted to touch it.

But Parkin maintained nothing further had happened in that instance.

Judge Ronayne said defence counsel Arthur Fairley had asked jurors to bear in mind the effect of the delay of the accusations and the possibility of ongoing association with other events.

"His submission to you is that memories change but the defendant is the only person who has been consistent throughout."

Judge Ronayne said that given the passage of time the jurors needed to tread with caution considering each person's recall.

"It is generally accepted the science of memory is a complex and evolving field."

Considerations might include how much time had passed, if it was a significant memory to them and the occurrence of other events at the same time, he said.

It was up to the jury to decide the facts of the case, he said.

The jury retired to deliberate the verdict this morning.