Bail for man on rape, torture charges

A man accused of taking in a girl and locking her in a shed if she didn’t have sex with him has been set free on bail in a Townsville court.

The man cannot be named in case it identifies the alleged victim - but it can be revealed he is a FIFO worker.

Defence lawyer Ross Malcomson appeared on behalf of the man and argued in favour of a bail release, highlighting his client’s steady employment and lack of criminal history.

“His ties are here to Townsville, he has stable accommodation available to him,” Mr Malcomson said.

“Risk of flight in my submission has not been established by the prosecution.”

The police prosecution supplied scant details about the man and his charges, leading to Magistrate Ken Taylor to point out the lack of information before him.

“I don’t have any details on the bail affidavit about the actual offences that are alleged to have occurred, so it’s hard for me to know the nature (of the offending),” Mr Taylor said.

“But just the charges themselves are exceedingly serious. I will make the assumption these are serious charges.”

In total, the man is charged with: rape, torture, choking (suffocation, strangulation), common assault, deprivation of liberty, aggravated supply of dangerous drugs to a minor under 16 and grooming a child under 16 to facilitate procurement of child for sexual act.

No pleas have been entered, but Mr Malcomson indicated a not guilty plea was likely.

It was heard in court the alleged victim had no place to stay when she began living with the man.

“She had to obey house rules, which included having sexual intercourse with (the man),” the police prosecutor said.

“If she refused she would be thrown out, or locked in a room or shed outside.”

A police report read out in the Townsville Magistrates Court revealed the man was allegedly “controlling” and would not allow the alleged victim to speak to her friends - including threats he made to self-harm if she ever did see her friends.

The court heard the man had tracked down his alleged victim recently, violating a temporary protection order put in place.

When confronted by police about why he contacted her, he told them he was “concerned for her welfare”, the court heard.

After hearing the bail application submissions, Magistrate

Taylor set the man free under the condition he reports to the police every fortnight and has absolutely no contact with the alleged victim and a number of witnesses who’ve spoken with police.

“While no grant of bail is ever risk free, with strict conditions I believe this remunerates (addresses) the risk of any further offending,” Magistrate Taylor said.

The matter was adjourned to the domestic violence court on June 21 for a committal mention.