sexually molested her.

The former middle school student related her story from behind a screen in a Magistrates' Court room closed to the public.

None of the names of the persons involved in the case may be disclosed for legal reasons.

Her uncle, a 53-year-old Pembroke man has denied a charge of sexually exploiting a young person.

But yesterday, the girl's mother said the uncle had admitted committing the act.

She told Crown counsel Lesley Basden she met the man about a month after the incident.

According to the woman, the man said: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to touch her leg, groin or vagina.'' And she said he claimed he "would do anything for this not to go to court'' because he was worried about his job and pension.

But defence lawyer Philip Perinchief suggested the man's apology for mistakenly offending the girl did not equal an admission.

Earlier in the trial, the teenager told Senior Magistrate Will Francis she went driving with her uncle on May 17 last year.

Her uncle gave her permission to drive his car at the Clearwater Beach parking area, but she had to give him a kiss for each mistake she made, she claimed.

"After I finished driving, he kissed me ten times on either side of my cheeks,'' she said.

But in a Police statement, the man reportedly said the "smooches'' were not sexually motivated.

The uncle then took control of the car and began driving back to Hamilton, the teenager continued.

But the girl, who was wearing track suit pants and a long sleeved denim shirt on the day, claimed she was groped while en route.

"During that time, my uncle put his hand on my lap and moved it down to my private area...my vagina,'' she told Ms Basden.

"I was shocked, nervous and scared. He said it was all right to be scared,'' she added.

According to the girl, her uncle tried to fondle her a second time on Berkeley Road in Pembroke, but she slapped his hand away.

However, Mr. Perinchief questioned why the girl stayed inside the car if she was scared.

"You never said `Uncle, stop the car, I want to get out', '' said Mr.

Perinchief.

And he suggested the girl was simply saying what her mother, who counter-signed her daughter's Police statement, had instructed her to say.

"If your uncle at all touched you, or touched you near your vagina, that was accidentally done when he showed you where his daughter stayed,'' argued Mr.

Perinchief.

And on the second occasion, the girl's uncle was trying to console her because he had been unable to fulfil his promise of giving her money, said Mr.

Perinchief.

The trial continues on July 27.