Lowestoft: No evidence Anthony Burns directed abuse of child, jury told

The abuse of a child was at the "clear direction" of Anthony Burns, the prosecution said

There is no evidence a man directed a woman he met online to abuse a child, a court was told.

Anthony Burns, 39, of Lowestoft, Suffolk, denies two counts of causing a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity.

His barrister said Mr Burns directed the woman to perform sexual acts on herself but there was no evidence he encouraged action against the child.

The jury at Birmingham Crown Court has retired to consider its verdicts.

Prosecutors previously told the jury Mr Burns carried out a "sustained campaign of predatory online sexual behaviour".

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The jury heard he asked women on dating sites for explicit photos and videos.

• Man 'directed women to behave in depraved ways'

He offered them cash before moving the conversation to WhatsApp, where video calls would take place, the court was told.

The jury heard one woman, who is from the US and has been referred to in court as DE for legal reasons, performed sexual acts on herself on a video call with Mr Burns in August 2020.

She then sexually abused a child.

'Nonsense'

In his closing statement, defence barrister Hugh Forgan said while it was accepted that Mr Burns had been directing DE in the first half of the video, in which she carried out sex acts on herself, there was no evidence he had directed the woman to sexually abuse the child.

He said: "There is no suggestion of sending any photos or messages asking her to do what she did to the child.

"There is no evidence of discussion that these acts would cost any further money. It simply isn't there."

Prosecutor Lisa Wilding KC said it was "nonsense" to suggest the woman chose to sexually abuse the child on camera because she wanted to.

She told the jury they could draw an inference that more money to do so was offered to her by Mr Burns.

"Everything DE did from the moment that recording started was at his control, for his benefit.," she said.

The jury retired to consider its verdicts on Tuesday.

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