A former Lawrence church youth leader accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl said Thursday in his defense the two did not have sexual intercourse until after she turned 16.

The 38-year-old man, who has moved out of the state and is now married, has since not been allowed to become a minister after the allegations came to light. From the stand, he expressed remorse about the relationship but said he didn’t commit a crime.

“It’s by far the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said.

The man faces one charge of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, because prosecutors accuse him of having a three-year sexual relationship with the former member of his youth group.

The girl came forward in 2007, several years after the reported sexual abuse, but the two sides disagree about whether the sexual intercourse began when the girl was 15 or 16, which is the age of consent.

The Journal-World generally does not publish the names of sex crime suspects unless they are convicted. The trial will resume Friday.