Stepfather who allegedly abused teenager for years extradited to Australia

CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to allegations of child sex abuse, including the alleged creation of child exploitation material.

A man allegedly hid a camera in a smoke detector, taking 24,000 photos of his stepchild as part of years-long abuse, a court has heard.

The 50-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday (20 December) after being extradited from Europe.

The man’s charges include incest, having sexual intercourse with a child, possessing child abuse material and using a child for the production of child exploitation material.

An ACT Police spokesperson said the man allegedly committed multiple sexual offences against his stepchild between 2018 and 2021.

A disclosure was made to police in 2021.

A brief of evidence was submitted to the ACT Magistrates Court in May 2023, and an arrest warrant was issued for the 50-year-old.

An INTERPOL Red Notice was also issued in September 2023, and Spanish authorities arrested him later that month.

He arrived in Sydney early on Thursday (19 December) and before being extradited to the ACT.

On Friday, his defence lawyer, Legal Aid’s Amelie McCarthy, sought her client’s release on a section 309 order, which would see him taken to hospital for immediate mental health treatment.

“He has indicated to me that he is experiencing symptoms of what he understands is schizophrenia,” she said.

Prosecutor David Swan urged the court to hold the man at the Alexander Maconochie Centre instead.

The man had left Australia and fled to Spain out of “fear of being discovered and charged with these offences”, he said.

He alleged the man had the “ability and [a] significant incentive” to leave hospital and that the alleged victim’s family was “very concerned about [him] potentially being able to be in the community”.

The allegations against the 50-year-old include a camera being hidden in a smoke detector that held 24,000 photos, which allegedly showed the teenager undressed and the man climbing through the window.

Also, the court heard allegations threats had been made to the alleged victim and their family.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker refused the section 309 order, saying the man represented a “significant risk of flight” and that if he were transferred to the hospital, it would not be a secure facility that could hold him.

He will next appear in court in January 2025. No pleas have been entered, and he did not apply for bail.

If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 02 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT 02 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call Triple Zero.