Former Eyre Peninsula bakery owners groomed young workers in a ‘cult-like’ sex ring, court told

A former Eyre Peninsula bakery owner accused of grooming two teen workers into his sex “cult” allegedly used to brag about wanting “a baker’s dozen” of children, a court has heard.

An employee at an Eyre Peninsula bakery owned by a man who allegedly groomed two young girls into “cult-like” sexual abuse told a court he used to brag about wanting to have “a baker’s dozen” of children.

Prosecutors allege the former owner allegedly groomed the young employees in the 1980s before allegedly getting his wife involved and making them pseudo members of his family and then fathering their children.

A former employee told the court today the male accused regularly made “sexual innuendos” in the workplace and often mentioned how he wanted to have a “baker’s dozen of children”.

“He always said he wanted a baker’s dozen which is 13 children,” she said.

“He didn’t say how he was going to go about it but yeah he always mentioned he wanted 13 and I know, I wasn’t sure if (his wife) lost a child during that time and so it was pretty sure it wasn’t going to come from (her).

“He just said he wanted 13 children regardless … that was his goal.”

The witness added the accused would flirt with the female employees at the bakery.

“His saying was ‘you’ve never had a man until you’ve had me’,” she said.

The court previously heard the young worker had children with the male accused. Picture: istock

Prosecutor Lisa Dunlop previously told the District Court in her opening statement that the male accused allegedly started a “sexual relationship” with two 15-year-old girls and then fathered their children while they worked at his bakery.

The man has pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault, four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and two counts of sexual abuse of a child.

The female accused has pleaded not guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and one count of sexual abuse of a child.

The family of one of the 15-year-old victims – who lived with the couple and their children until the early 2000s – said they tried to rescue the one of the young victims who was living with the family.

“There was rumours around town that she was living in a cult-like situation that I didn’t really like and, of course, gossip in a small town is always right,” her brother told the court.

“We decided after a few beers down the pub that we would go down and collect her and bring her home.”

The man said the male and female accused wouldn’t let him into the house or let him see his sister.

“I threatened I would drive through his house,” he said

The alleged victim’s mother said the male accused barred her from seeing her daughter but she refused to give up hope.

“I was devastated, I got very sick trying to get her home and I ended up in hospital with a nervous breakdown just about it,” she said.

“He didn’t allow her out, or near us, or she wasn’t allowed to contact us in any way.”

The mother said she followed her daughter when she relocated interstate with their daughter and eventually helped rescue her from the situation.

“I said I’d follow him to the end of the earth to get my daughter,” she said.

“I told him he stole my daughter and one day I would steal her back, and I did.

“I took every opportunity he ever gave me to see my daughter.”

The trial before a jury continues.