Michael Kitchen committed to trial on grooming charge after arrest in Gold Coast police sting

There has been a new development in the case for one of three Gold Coast men charged with grooming offences after allegedly arranging to meet with a ‘child’ for sex.

One of three men charged with grooming offences after allegedly being nabbed in an undercover police sting has been committed to stand trial.

Michael Kitchen, 50, is charged with grooming a parent or carer of a child under 16 years to facilitate the procurement of the child to engage in a sexual act.

It is alleged the Arundel man engaged with an online profile – actually manned by Taskforce Argos detectives – arranging to meet and access who he believed was a child for sex.

He was arrested in November last year after allegedly being caught by detectives at the arranged meeting points.

Southport man John-Jon Pok and Alan Raymond Mann, of Currumbin Waters, were arrested and charged as part of the same operation.

Mr Kitchen briefly appeared in court on Wednesday to have his case committed for trial in Southport District Court.

He said only “No, Your Honour” when asked whether he had anything to say in answer to the charge at this stage.

The 50-year-old also pleaded guilty to breaching a bail condition after failing to report to police as required on March 12.

Defence lawyer India Brady, of Bamberry Lawyers, said her client missed his reporting date due to oversleeping and went to the police station the following day to explain himself.

Mr Kitchen was convicted and not further punished. No conviction was recorded.

His case is expected to be mentioned in Southport District Court in the coming months.

Mr Pok’s and Mr Mann’s cases remain in the lower courts and are listed for April 18 and May 7 respectively.

Originally published as Michael Kitchen committed to trial on grooming charge after arrest in Gold Coast police sting