Wedding singer Daniel James Stoneman granted bail on rape charges

There has been a dramatic twist in the case of the Queensland wedding singer charged with raping four women after revelations he was not coping behind bars.

Queensland musician and wedding singer Daniel James Stoneman

A popular Queensland musician and wedding singer has been granted bail after spending four months behind bars on remand on charges of raping four women he met on dating apps, and distributing intimate images of six women, as well as choking.

Defence counsel Craig Eberhardt KC represented Daniel James Stoneman in Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday where he said his client had received threats to his physical safety while behind bars.

Stoneman was suicidal in prison, and had not coped at all, he said.

“He is in such a bad way at the moment,” Mr Eberhardt said.

Stoneman applied for bail on 52 charges, including 24 counts of distributing intimate images, three counts of rape and one count each of attempting to commit rape, choking, recordings in breach of privacy and unlawful stalking.

Queensland musician and wedding singer Daniel James Stoneman

During the hearing before Justice Thomas Bradley, Mr Eberhardt said one of the accusations against his client was that he would not take no for answer in relation to an alleged victim.

Mr Eberhardt also argued that one alleged victim who had her sex video leaked knew she was being recorded at the time, but was not asked for permission before it was disseminated.

Another woman allegedly knew sex was being taped but was also not asked before it was disseminated, but she had herself sent the sex video of herself to others, Mr Eberhardt said.

Justice Bradley questioned Mr Eberhardt’s submission that this made the alleged offending less serious, and said it was akin to the 1950s attitudes to rape victims who had had sex before a rape.

“Are we back in the world where we say if a woman has intercourse with someone, the raping of her is not as serious?” he said.

“One would hope you wouldn’t bring to focus what used to be brought to women in the 1950s.”

Mr Eberhardt said he intended to submit that the potential for distress by a woman would be less if the sex recording was already public because she distributed it.

Stoneman was willing to abide by any conditions on his bail including a ban on dating apps, on social media, and of working in bars or as a singer, to reduce the “residual” risk of him reoffending, the court heard.

He also agreed not to have any contact with his alleged victims.

Queensland musician and wedding singer Daniel James Stoneman

Mr Eberhardt told the court that Stoneman has the financial support of his parents so does not need to work, and would “not be put back in a position of being a musician or bar attendant or anywhere he would have contact with females”.

He could try to gain work as a forklift driver or courier, Mr Eberhardt suggested and would consult with psychotherapist Dr Ingrid McGuffog.

Mr Eberhardt submitted the Crown case was not strong but conceded he had not yet received the full brief of evidence.

“He proposes very strict bail conditions,” Mr Eberhardt said, including no interstate or overseas travel without permission from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“If he intends to have a relationship with a woman... he would have to notify the DPP of the name and number before he commences the relationship,” Mr Eberhardt suggested.

“It seems to me that the more feasible thing is that he has to keep the DPP advised if he enters into a relationship,” Justice Bradley said.

Crown prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher argued that Stoneman, 34, from Shailer Park, said the DPP would not be contacting women that Stoneman may be dating to alert them of his criminal charges.

Ms Gallagher said that Stoneman had a criminal history for harassing one of the alleged victims in this case “in a continual way”.

“Here a man is alleged to have committed offences against eight separate women, raping four of them and distributing intimate images of six of them,” Ms Gallagher said.

“It probably would be good if he did a program that was more directed at appropriate relationships,” Justice Bradley suggested of the strict bail conditions.

He must abide by a night-time curfew and complete an education course, and must live with his parents in Shailer Park.

Final details of the precise bail conditions will be agreed to in orders made later today.

Stoneman has been performing from the Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast for more than seven years.

He has performed gigs at Coorparoo Square, the Royal George Hotel, Surf Club Coolangatta, North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Supporters Club and the Wickham.

According to a biography on his website he covers a vast range of genres including pop, R&B/Motown, classic rock, funk, blues, top 40 and the classics.

Originally published as Wedding singer Daniel James Stoneman granted bail on rape charges