A former lawn bowls coach has pleaded not guilty to abusing two juniors in the sport.

Daniel Norman Hatton, 55, is on trial in Newcastle District Court charged with abusing two boys under his authority.

Mr Hatton stands accused of eight charges, including five of aggravated sexual intercourse with a child aged between 10 and 14 and two counts of indecent assault of a child under 16.

The boys were aged 10 and 11 when the abuse allegedly occurred in 2011. 

There is also a charge of assaulting a person with intent to commit a serious indictable offence.

Mr Hatton has pleaded not guilty to all offences.

In his closing address today, prosecutor Andrew Lynch said Mr Hatton had an attraction to young boys.

"He had a tendency to be attracted to boys aged 10 and 11 and 12 years of age and to act on that tendency," Mr Lynch told the court. 

"Each of the boys was certain as to what happened to them and certain as to who did it to them."

The defence rejects that.

Erectile dysfunction as a defence

Mr Hatton's sister today told the court her brother had erectile dysfunction at the time of the alleged offences.

"We were chatting, I am asking him how he was feeling. He got quite upset, he didn't feel like a man, he couldn't get it up," she said.

In his closing address, Mr Lynch took aim at the erectile dysfunction claims and the fact that Mr Hatton did not seek medical help until after he was charged in 2021. 

"According to [his wife] and the accused, he hasn't been able to obtain an erection since 2004," Mr Lynch said.

"You might then think it is unusual that a man, encountering such a huge barrier to intimacy between himself and his wife, would not speak to a doctor about this problem."

Jurors were told that at the time of his arrest and when told about the allegations, Mr Hatton told police about his alleged condition.

"It ain't true, I physically can't do it," Mr Hatton told police.

"Since 2004, since I had my epilepsy, it is embarrassing for me and my wife, but I just can't do it anymore."

Mr Lynch told jurors to reject that evidence.

He said: "While it is generally accepted that men with epilepsy are more likely to have erectile dysfunction, Mr Hatton's low dose probably wouldn't have an impact on testosterone."

In his closing address, defence barrister Paul Rosser KC turned to jurors and said his client was an innocent man, who "did not need to prove he has no sexual function".

"He has been unable to achieve an erection in any circumstances since 2004 and let me emphasise he doesn't have to prove that," Mr Rosser said.

"He has a presumption of innocence.

"You can't bring any preconceptions into play, you can't bring any prejudices into play, and you can't bring any sympathies into play.

"You decide this case on the evidence and the evidence only."

Judge Kate Traill is due to sum up tomorrow.