Photographer Michael Andrew Townsend arrested for alleged child abuse offences relating to photo shoots and singing lessons

A photographer who allegedly asked children to pose naked has faced court again after a home detention report was ordered.

A photographer who police allege assaulted children and asked them to pose naked faced court for a second time on Wednesday.

Michael Andrew Townsend appeared at the Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court via video link after a home detention report had been ordered to assess his suitability for home detention bail.

Mr Townsend, 35, applied for bail on February 9, but Magistrate Edward Stratton-Smith ordered that a home detention report be prepared after Townsend allegedly reached out to his alleged victims after being given police bail.

Duty solicitor Omar Ali told the court the bail application would be withdrawn.

Mr Townsend, who worked for a performing arts school, was arrested on February 8 after police allege he molested and groped young girls at home photo shoots, before messaging them online.

He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, indecent assault and procuring a child for sexual activity.

Earlier, the court heard while in children’s homes for photo shoots or singing lessons, Mr Townsend grabbed their chest or asked them to conduct nude shoots.

Mr Townsend was previously arrested and granted bail after an alleged indecent assault at a photo shoot last month.

Following further investigations, he was arrested again and charged with further offences.

The police prosecutor said the earliest charge dated back to October 18, 2020.

He said Mr Townsend was then arrested after another alleged indecent assault at a separate home photo shoot in January.

“Mr Townsend attends students’ addresses for singing lessons,” the prosecutor said.

The prosecutor alleged during one of the occasions Mr Townsend attended an address for a photo shoot and groped the chest of a child while her grandparents were home.

“He was arrested on February 1 and entered a bail agreement on an allegation of indecent assault of a child under 12,” they said.

“He was released on conditions that he not attend certain addresses, not making contact with the person and the ordinary conditions against communicating with people under 18.”

Mr Townsend was arrested again on Tuesday and charged with two counts of indecent assault of a child and procure child for sexual activity.

Two other incidents allegedly occurred during photo shoots in 2022.

“There’s an ongoing investigation involving Mr Townsend which has uncovered further victims,” the prosecutor said.

“A (minor) said at a photo shoot Townsend asked her inappropriate questions about her sexuality and he grabbed the collar of her shirt and looked down.”

The prosecutor alleged on the same day Mr Townsend asked two children aged 8 and 10 to place their hands on each other and pose naked.

They said further charges were likely to be laid and Townsend had, contrary to bail conditions, messaged complainants online, which had the potential to interfere with the police investigation.

“Some of the messages are concerning your honour, he says ‘I hate what I did, I’ve been abused myself in a similar way’ and ‘you had the look I love and wanted to capture that’,” the prosecutor said.

Duty solicitor Omar Ali said Mr Townsend maintained the presumption for bail arguing he should be released as he was the full time carer of a seven year old son who had severe disabilities.

“The protection of the community is paramount and bail conditions could be imposed that he not see children without an adult present, or to communicate with children,” Mr Ali said.

“With regards to those messages, none of them are dated and none of them relate to anything in particular it isn’t clear who the recipient is.”

Magistrate Edward Stratton-Smith said as there were potentially other young complainants, he would not release Mr Townsend on simple bail.

Mr Townsend will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court in May.