Former karate instructor retried on child molestation charges

WOODBINE, Ga. — Former Pak's Karate instructor Thomas Ary is back on trial on child molestation charges.

Ary sat quietly inside a Camden County courtroom on Tuesday. He's facing three counts of child molestation after a jury couldn't come to a decision on those counts last year.

The alleged victim's mother was the first to take the stand. Action News is not using her name to protect her daughter's identity.

She got emotional as she recalled what her daughter told her.

"Has anyone ever touched you in your private places? And she just let out a big sigh and just started sobbing and finally she said, 'Master Ary,'" said the girl's mother.

The state showed the jury video of the forensic interview conducted on the alleged victim, who is now 11 years old.

"Did you ask her any follow-up questions after she said Master Ary had touched her?" asked District Attorney Katie Gropper.

"I asked her when. And she said that it happened during the summer camp," said the alleged victim's mom.

But defense attorney Richard Allen said the girl's story is inconsistent. He said despite the accusations, the girl still liked being around Ary.

"Sometimes you'd have to pull her away from him to get her to come?" asked Allen.

"I wouldn't say that but she did always give him a hug goodbye," said the mother.

Ary pleaded not guilty to all three counts. It is still unclear if he will take the stand in his own defense.

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The district attorney also introduced witness testimony of another former karate student who claims she too was molested by Ary. The defense objected to this being allowed because those accusations were not included in the initial grand jury indictment. However, the judge allowed the testimony.

The alleged victim took the stand holding a stuffed animal. She began crying while detailing when and where the alleged abuse happened.

The girl said in one incident, Ary closed the door to the studio's bathroom, picked up her up and put his private parts to hers. She claims that other times he touched her private parts while she was sitting on his lap.

Allen tried casting doubt on her story while he cross-examined the girl's mother.

"Her grades never dropped?" asked Allen.

"That's true. In spite of all of this she still maintained a straight-A average," said the mother.

"Her conduct hadn't changed at all, she was still the same kid?" asked Allen.

"Correct," said alleged victim's mom.

The owner of the karate school, Craig Peeples, is also facing molestation accusations.

Action News first reported last week how seven men are suing Peeples in civil court under Georgia's new Hidden Predator Act. The district attorney said there was enough evidence to charge him but the statute of limitations had run out.

WJAX