Former Defence employee on bail after being charged with alleged sexual assault of his daughter

CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to alleged sexual assault and alleged sexual abuse of a child.

A retired Defence employee is free on bail to return to Queensland after being charged with allegedly assaulting his daughter over several years.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with three counts of committing an act of indecency upon a person under the age of 16 and one count of incest.

He was arrested on Wednesday (10 July) by Queensland Police in Brisbane before being extradited to Canberra on Thursday evening.

The man faced the ACT Magistrates Court the following day (12 July), where the court heard the alleged victim was aged between 11 and 15 at the time of the alleged offending.

The alleged assaults occurred in the ACT between 1987 and 1993.

Prosecutor Maddison Fielders opposed a bail application on the possibility of the man not returning to court and the “likelihood of [him] interfering with evidence and witnesses”.

The court heard some of the man’s family were also to appear as witnesses for the alleged victim.

“[The man] does not seem to grasp the gravity of the situation and the gravity of his conduct,” she said.

Defence lawyer Jeremy Banwell said his client had no criminal history.

“Save for the allegations, Your Honour, you are presented with a 79-year-old old man that has lived a law-abiding life.”

While he described his client as a “camping enthusiast”, Mr Banwell said this interest “does little to support the conclusion that he will go off-grid and run away from these proceedings”.

The court heard the man also had no intentions of suicide or self-harm.

“He wrote a note at the bar table assuring me he will not self-harm,” Mr Banwell said.

Magistrate Jane Campbell cited the man’s advanced age and lack of criminal history as factors in deciding to grant bail.

As part of his bail conditions, the 79-year-old man will have to report to Queensland Police every day from 14 July, with the delay to give him time to arrange travel back to the state.

Other conditions include being unable to visit the city where the alleged victim lives, being unable to contact the alleged victim and family members expected to act as witnesses, and needing to reside every night at his Brisbane home.

He is also unable to be in the company of anyone under 16 unless in the “direct presence” of his partner.

The man was also served with a special interim family violence order relating to his child, barring him from contacting her.

He did not enter a plea and is expected to next appear before the ACT Magistrates Court on 2 August via audio-visual link.

If this story has brought up issues for you, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. The Canberra Rape Crisis Centre (CRCC) is available every day between 7 am and 11 pm on 6247 2525.

Historical allegations of sexual assault from more than six months ago can be reported to ACT Policing through an online portal.