70-y-o facing child sex charges

City man accused of drugging and raping 10-year-old girl

A TOOWOOMBA man accused of using a “date rape” drug against a young girl as well as the rape of the girl has had charges against him mentioned before the city’s Magistrates Court.

The 70-year-old man, who cannot be named unless and until he is committed to stand trial on the charges, was not required to be in court for the brief mention of his matters yesterday and his appearance in court was excused.

He was charged earlier this year with four counts of “administering a drug for the purpose of a sexual act”, as the charge appears on the court list, and five counts of rape.

He has not as yet been required to enter any pleas to those charges and remains at large on bail with conditions.

The complaint which sparked the police investigation was made to Rockhampton police earlier this year.

Detective Sergeant Jim Edwards of the Rockhampton police Child Protection Investigation Unit (CPIU) told The

Chronicle that the charges related to a 10-year-old girl and the alleged incidents had occurred at various places including Barcaldine, Mt Isa, Julia Creek and Hughenden.

Det Sgt Edwards said the incidents were alleged to have occured in June and July. Solicitor Nathan Bouchier, of Bouchier Khan Lawyers, acting as town agent for the defendant’s legal representatives, McMillan Criminal Law, told the court he had been instructed to ask for an adjournment so a registry committal could be done.

A registry committal is the process by which the charges are handed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

and taken up to the higher court, in this case the District Court.

Magistrate Damian Carroll therefore remanded the man on bail and adjourned the case for mention back in the same court on January 14 by which time it was envisaged the registry committal would have been done.