Child-sex accused Mate Falanga arrested after interstate tip-off

A man who allegedly communicated sexually online with an 11-year-old child is “terrified” of remaining in custody, a court has heard.

A 25-year-old man arrested for alleged “extensive sexualisation communication” with an 11-year-old child is “terrified” of remaining in custody, a court has heard.

Mate Falanga, of Kilkenny, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with making a child, from New South Wales, amenable to sexual activity and procuring a child for sexual activity in July and September last year.

He is yet to enter any pleas.

SA Police said Mr Falanga was arrested on Monday after a tip-off from their interstate counterparts.

Jon Lister, for Mr Falanga, said his client was “distressed” and “terrified” about spending further time in custody and asked he be released on simple bail with strict conditions on internet use.

He said Mr Falanga, who has a fiance in the UK, had supplied all electronic devices and passwords to police.

But a police prosecutor said anything less than home detention bail would be unsuitable, because there would be “too much temptation and too much accessibility” for Mr Falanga to access the internet.

“We suggest that home detention bail would stop the defendant from having the access or the temptation, perhaps, of using other internet sources such as internet cafes, friends or relatives.”

He said the alleged offending “involved extensive sexualisation communication, both verbally and (via) video with an 11-year-old child”.

The prosecutor sought conditions including providing police with access, including passwords or codes, to any computer or electronic device capable of connecting to the internet. He must also not delete or alter any internet search history.

Magistrate Elizabeth Shepherd said she was “not persuaded anything other than home detention would be appropriate” and ordered a home detention report. Mr Falanga returns to court on Friday.