A TAMWORTH man has been denied bail charged with a raft of offences accused of being in a relationship with an underage girl.
The now 29-year-old cannot be identified for legal reasons but shook his head in the dock after he was denied bail in Tamworth Local Court on 14 assault-related charges.
He is alleged to have assaulted the girl, aged 14 and 15 at the time, between 2015 and 2016 while they were in a relationship.
He was arrested by Oxley detectives in a suburb on the outskirts of Tamworth, but much of the case cannot be reported for legal reasons.
The man is charged with three counts of having sexual intercourse with a victim aged between 14 and 16, 10 counts of common assault and one of using an offensive weapon to commit and indictable offence.
Legal Aid solicitor Natasha Wood lodged a release application, arguing his detention was not justified because “of his ties to the community”, he had full-time employment as a driver, was medicated for medical conditions and was seeing a doctor; and was a father.
The allegations relate to an unspecified period between 2015 and 2016.
- Legal Aid solicitor Natasha Wood
She said it would be “his first time in custody” and “there is a significant gap in offending”, on his record, and disputed the dates of the pregnancy, identified in the charges.
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“The allegations relate to an unspecified period between 2015 and 2016,” Miss Wood told the court.
“No report was made until after the relationship had broken down."
She submitted he would not be a risk to the community and had a history of compliance with court orders.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Alix Thom said the case would be referred to the DPP because the intercourse charges were “objectively very serious”.
She said one charge related to an infant, and the child “in question is the child of the accused”, and if convicted, he would face a lengthy time in jail.
"A constant, prolonged offending against the complainant over a number of years,” Sergeant Thom said.
A constant, prolonged offending against the complainant over a number of years.
- Police Prosecutor Sergeant Alix Thom
Magistrate Julie Soars told the 29-year-old he was “facing some serious charges" and ”you need to show cause why you should get bail”.
She told the court cause, or exceptional circumstances, for his release had not been shown and “I have to refuse you bail".
The man was not required to enter pleas as police build their case against him, and serve the brief of evidence on his defence team in January.
He will remain behind bars until early-January.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
