A man accused of sexually molesting an 11-year-old girl was diagnosed with herpes and gonorrhoea, it was revealed yesterday.

The 39-year-old Sandys man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, previously pleaded not guilty to sexual exploitation of a young person and the alternate charge of sexual exploitation of a young person by someone in a position of trust.

A physician previously testified that the girl contracted herpes, gonorrhoea, and chlamydia.

And yesterday in Magistrates' Court, Dr. Keith Cunningham said the man had at least two of the three diseases.

He said the man tested positive for herpes and gonorrhoea, but tested negative for chlamydia.

However, when Crown Counsel Lesley Basden asked whether a negative result guaranteed the absence of chlamydia, he responded "not necessarily.'' "It's not always possible to obtain a suitable sample,'' he said.

During cross examination, defence lawyer Victoria Pearman asked Dr. Cunningham if it were likely a person suffering from gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and herpes could possibly be without symptoms.

"As a lawyer, you would know this is the basis of the Public Health Act,'' retorted Dr. Cunningham.

"All these conditions eventually become symptom-free but are still contagious and dangerous to the general population,'' he added.

He said sexually transmitted diseases were more likely to be spread through penetration and ejaculation but it was possible for infection to occur through genital contact.