Robert David Reti: Childcare worker accused of indecently touching two girls testifies ‘I did nothing wrong’

WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS. A childcare worker charged with indecently touching two girls says his job made him feel “wanted and loved”, and youngsters would sit in his lap because he was “popular.” Robert David Reti is on trial in the District Court of WA, accused of committing the crime twice, once at a childcare centre in Perth’s northern suburbs and again at another in the Perth Hills in 2023. The 39-year-old testified on Thursday about how he touched the children he cared for, after the jury was shown CCTV footage on Wednesday of various children climbing onto him while he sat on a bench. “They would come up to me quite often seeking support ... I was probably one of the most popular educators there,” Mr Reti told his defence lawyer Hamish Glenister. He told prosecutor Kathryn Kraus: “I don’t force myself on them. If they were giving me a cuddle, I’d cuddle them.” “You don’t pull them onto your lap. They come and flop on you. “It’s nice to feel loved and wanted.” Pressed on whether that was the feeling the children gave him, Mr Reti replied: “By everyone - you’re like one big happy family”. He said the first allegation, that he touched a four-year-old girl’s vagina with his exposed penis while she was wearing underwear, did not happen. Mr Reti reiterated what he told police in his recorded interview, that the girl said as she “jumped around” on his lap: “You have a willy and I can feel it.” “And I’m like ‘no thank you, you have to hop off’,” the accused testified. “I thought it was inappropriate so I got her off. “Her story is completely ridiculous. “Kids say crazy things all the time.” He said the incident made him feel uncomfortable and he was concerned “to a certain degree” but knew he did nothing wrong and it was captured on CCTV. It was a mistake not to have reported it to another educator, Mr Reti said. He also flatly denied the second complaint, that he touched the chest and vagina of a six year-old over her clothes while she was sitting on his lap. “I’ve hugged her . . . but I’ve never touched any part of her like that.” Mr Reti laughed when Mr Kraus suggested he wore baggy shorts to work to hide erections. Ms Kraus also asked about him working nine jobs at the time. Mr Reti said he was a driving instructor, installed NBN, taught swimming and cleaned at a public pool in the western suburbs, cleaned a northern suburbs school and even worked as a DJ. He said he would also do spray painting, upcycling furniture and redecorating kitchens, “on the side”. “I was working like 16 hours a day, seven days a week,” Mr Reti said. He said he turned down full-time offers because casual paid better, allowing him to buy a home in Two Rocks, and offered more flexibility. But Ms Kraus suggested “you wanted exposure to as many children as possible.” Mr Reti responded: “They were fun jobs.” The trial continues. Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800