Accused of the rape of a 14-y-o girl

A MAN accused of raping a 14year-old girl after drinking at the teenager’s father’s home has been released on bail.

The 29-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday charged with rape, assault occasioning bodily harm and indecent treatment of a child under 16.

He was not required to enter any pleas to the charges and sat quietly, occasionally with his head in his hands, in the court dock while duty solicitor Shane MacDonald applied for his bail.

Mr MacDonald said his client instructed any contact between him and the complainant girl had been consensual and that he was of the belief at the time that the girl was 17.

The matter had come to light when the girl complained of pain and was taken by her father for medical treatment.

His client instructed that the girl had made advances toward his client and that the pair had gone consensually to a caravan at the rear of the property where they engaged in sex and that he had desisted when she complained of pain, he said.

His client had had breakfast with the family in the morning and nothing had been said, he submitted.

Mr MacDonald said further investigations had to be carried out and that it could be up to a year or more before the matter was put before the District Court and submitted his client in that case should be granted bail.

Acting Magistrate Roger Stark granted the accused man bail on condition he have no contact at all with the complainant girl or her family.