No bail on grooming charge
A BELMONT man faced court yesterday after being charged with grooming an underage girl through social media.
Timothy Tabor, 21, appeared in custody at Geelong Magistrates’ Court after his arrest at the weekend.
He has been charged with offences including grooming for sexual conduct with a child under 16, and encouraging a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity.
Police allege Mr Tabor targeted a 15-year-old girl through various social media platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat. The allegations include claims he sent the child explicit images.
Mr Tabor was denied bail after the court heard there was evidence he had been targeting other young girls on social media. Senior-Constable Daniel King said there was evidence Mr Tabor was regularly contacting “very vulnerable” females under the age of 16.
He said the alleged offending against the 15-year-old girl took place in July last year, but it was only reported to police last week.
The court heard the pair allegedly met in person on one occasion, when it is claimed Mr Tabor hugged the girl and asked for a kiss.
Sen-Constable King said the teen was concerned she could cross paths with the accused if he was released and was “scared for her safety”.
Mr Tabor’s mobile phone was seized after police arrested him at his mother’s home in Corio on Sunday. The court was told the phone would be examined by investigators, with the possibility further charges could be laid.
Defence lawyer Niamh Harrington said the prospect of more charges being laid remained an unknown factor.
“There is going to be some delay while that investigation is ongoing and it could be that nothing comes from it while Mr Tabor sits on remand waiting for that analysis to come back,” she said.
Ms Harrington argued custody would be particularly onerous for him, noting his age and cognitive impairment.
She said any risk Mr Tabor posed could be reduced to an acceptable level with strict bail conditions. Prosecutor Siobhan Daly said there were no conditions that could alleviate police concerns.
Magistrate Franz Holzer refused bail and remanded Mr Tabor in custody until June 18.