Trial begins for alleged rapist in Dover

The trial for 34-year-old Harold Philhower began in the Kent County Superior Court on Tuesday. 

He’s facing several charges including second degree rape, unlawful sexual contact and three counts dealing with child pornography for an apparent relationship he had with an under-aged girl.

This whole case stems from events that happened back in the summer of 2014 at Kaizen Karate Academy in Dover. Philhower’s then wife was an instructor there at the time of the incidents.

Philhower allegedly had a sexual relationship with one of the students at the karate school. She was thirteen at the time.

During opening statements, the prosecution claimed that the girl and Philhower kissed and engaged in oral sex outside of the karate school.

Apparently, the girl also sent nude photos of herself to the thirty-four year old. In the defense’s opening statements Philhower’s lawyer repeatedly noted, “things aren’t always what they seem.”

Patrick Preece, the owner of the karate school, was the only witness to testify Tuesday. On the stand he explained that in August of 2014, he was throwing a birthday party for his son at the karate school.  He apparently needed a lighter for the cake, so he went to look for Philhower to borrow one.

Preece says a partygoer told him Philhower had taken trash out. When Preece got to the back of the karate school outside, that’s when he says he caught Philhower kissing the thirteen- year- old. Preece says the two ran off and when he later confronted Philhower, he denied the act.

When Preece approached the girl’s father about the incident, her father said Philhower had already called and explained the situation. In the phone call, Philhower apparently told the girl’s dad they were practicing a karate move.

Preece says the father also asked his daughter about the kissing claims and she denied them. Preece says the next day he called police and social services to report what he saw.

More witnesses are scheduled to testify Wednesday beginning at 10 a.m. in the Kent County Superior Court. This trial is predicted to last three days.