Clifton Springs man charged with child stealing, sexual assault along Bellarine Rail Trail

Police allege a man accused of flashing a child on the Bellarine Rail Trail took her “into the bushes”.

William Lewis of Clifton Springs has been charged with a slew of offences, including abduction or detention of a child for a sexual purpose. Picture: Facebook.

A Clifton Springs man has been charged after allegedly exposing himself to a nine-year-old girl and grabbing her on the Bellarine Rail Trail.

William Lewis fronted Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday, with police alleging he took the girl “into the bushes” on June 24.

Police said officers were told the girl was walking along the trail in Curlewis when an unknown man sitting on a park bench spoke to her about 4pm.

The man then allegedly exposed himself to the girl and grabbed her on the arm.

Police said she was able to break free from the man before running off, escaping without sustaining any physical injuries.

William Lewis. Picture: Facebook.

Police were subsequently called, with the 55-year-old man arrested on Friday.

Following a police interview, he was charged with a slew of offences, including abduction or detention of a child for a sexual purpose, child stealing, sexual assault of a child, assault with intent to commit a sexual offence and sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Kylie Jane argued that the Magistrates Court would not be able to adequately sentence Mr Lewis, if he was found guilty of the alleged offences.

The court heard the matters had been placed into the committal stream, meaning Mr Lewis could face the County Court.

Constable Jane said she would be “happy” to detail why the matter should be sent upstairs.

“We’ve got a nine-year-old victim who has been taken into the bushes by the accused,” Constable Jane told the court.

The court was told the prosecution needed eight to 10 weeks to gather its brief of evidence, which will include statements from the alleged victim and her sister and forensic evidence, including a blood sample that the court heard positively matched Mr Lewis.

Constable Jane said police also needed time to analyse the contents of Mr Lewis’s phone.

The court heard that Mr Lewis had a number of custody management matters, including multiple medication prescriptions and scar tissue from severe burns that left him in “agony”.

Mr Lewis’ defence lawyer Hollie Lyons also told the court her client instructs he has a brain injury.

Ms Lyons told the court the matters could all be settled at a Magistrates Court level and flagged a potential application to keep the matters in the lower court in the future.

Originally published as Clifton Springs man charged with child stealing, sexual assault along Bellarine Rail Trail