Anthony Dunn bailed over serious sex assault, rape charges, allowed to go on riverside holiday

This man was charged in July after his alleged victim told police of a brutal series of sexual assaults spanning four years. Now he’s been told he’s free to go on holiday.

An alleged serial rapist recently freed on bail has taken to court to ask if he can go on holidays, but in a strange turn of events he was all but laughed out of the room.

Adelaide Plains man Anthony Dunn, 71, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court requesting to have his bail varied so he could go on a riverside caravan park sabbatical.

Mr Dunn first appeared in court in July facing a staggering 36 counts of rape, nine of indecent assault, 11 of assault, six of aggravated assault with a weapon, five of threatening to kill or endanger life – two aggravated, two of detaining a person to commit an indictable offence, one of aggravated assault causing harm and three firearms offences.

He was denied bail during his first appearance, but was later granted supervised bail at a residential address on September 13.

When Casey Isaacs, for Mr Dunn, explained the particulars of the bail variation request Magistrate Simon Smart stopped him in his tracks before asking: “what’s to stop him going?”

“What condition is it going to breach?” he asked.

The Adelaide Plains man charged over serial sexual assault and rape leaves the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA Newswire

Mr Isaacs told the court a corrections officer had told Mr Dunn he would need to go through the courts to be allowed on the holiday.

Mr Smart said the corrections officer was “wrong”.

“What would you like me to do?” Mr Smart asked Mr Isaacs.

“Not much,” Mr Isaacs replied.

“Okay, I won’t do anything then,” Mr Smart said.

Moments later, Mr Isaacs withdrew the application.

The unusual interaction was in contrast to Mr Dunn’s first court appearance in July when the court heard lengthy and staggering allegations made against the retiree.

Appearing from custody in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court, Mr Dunn at times became agitated as a police prosecutor detailed the 73 allegations.

The court heard how 71-year-old Mr Dunn allegedly held a knife to a woman’s throat or aimed a handgun in her direction before telling her to perform sex acts upon him.

The prosecutor alleged Mr Dunn handcuffed and gagged the woman with her own underwear on another occasion.

The court heard the allegations had occurred over four years before culminating in a brutal alleged attack at a local football grand final in September last year.

Hanna Rogers, who was then acting for Mr Dunn, applied for bail based partly on the man’s advanced aged and ill-health.

She told the court Mr Dunn was in remission for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, had “heart issues” and type two diabetes.

Mr Dunn was expected to return to court in December for charge determination.