after yesterday's closing arguments in a highly emotional case.

The 54-year-old Pembroke man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to touching a young person for a sexual purpose on May 17.

But Crown counsel Lesley Basden said the man admitted to "a string of inappropriate behaviour'' during his testimony.

The man admitted to opening a secret bank account for the girl, but said he told her to keep it a secret so the money would be used for educational purposes only.

He also admitted to taking the girl out for driving lessons and telling her if she made mistakes she would have to give him "smooches'' (kisses).

But the man insisted he meant it affectionately -- not sexually. "I'm her uncle, don't you tell your relatives to come and give you a hug?'' he said.

The girl previously testified that her uncle had put his hand on her lap and moved it down to her vagina for 30 seconds.

And she said later that day, when they were driving past Berkeley Hill, he had tried to touch her again before she slapped his hand away.

The girl claimed her uncle told her "it's all right to be scared'' after he touched her -- which the man flatly denied.

"It's a lie, I never touched her in any sexual way,'' the man said, claiming that the girl's mother had coached her responses.

Defence lawyer, Phil Perinchief, said the laws regarding sexual assault were "gender specific in a practical sense''.

"All the female needs to do, young or old, is make a complaint -- and the male has an uphill battle,'' he said.

Mr. Perinchief said the girl's mother had "embellished her stories and had gone so far as to entrap (the man)''.

And he said the girl appeared to be "feisty'' rather than frightened during her testimony, noting: "We don't have a shrinking violet here.'' Mr. Perinchief said the case largely boiled down to the man's word against his niece's.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis said he did not wish to "rush to judgment'' and extended the man's bail until judgment on September 16.

The girl's father, who wept quietly during parts of the trial, told Mr.

Francis that Mr. Perinchief was not interested in the truth -- just about getting his client off.

And he added: "It's going to be justice, one way or the other...I believe in God.''