David Carl Ewen charged with molesting teen on cruise ship off Mackay coast

A man who allegedly molested an underage teen on a cruise boat off the Qld coast is out on bail, after his initial application was rejected.

A New South Wales man who allegedly molested an underage teen on a cruise boat off the Mackay coast is out on supreme court bail, after his initial freedom bid was rejected.

This comes as a Mackay magistrate threatened to issue an official summons to the cruise operator after learning it was holding up the court proceedings.

David Carl Ewen is charged with two counts of indecent treatment of children under 16 on March 24, 2024.

Police alleged the 56-year-old molested a 15-year-old girl on a major cruise liner as it was off Mackay.

Magistrate Damien Dwyer threatened to issue and official summons to court for the cruise operator after learning it had not yet provided its statement to police, and this was the only material outstanding.

“The outstanding statement is with (the cruise ship operator’s) legal department for review before it’s disclosed,” prosecutor Leonie Taufa’ao told Mackay Magistrates Court on Wednesday when the case was mentioned.

Magistrate Damien Dwyer said the court was told that in June.

“Yes and I have been provided with an update and it’s still with them,” Ms Taufa’ao said.

“So at this point in time I have no ETA.”

Ms Taufa’ao said she had passed this information onto Mr Ewen’s solicitor, Jack Bendall of Potts Lawyers, and requested another two-week adjournment.

The court heard Mr Ewen was currently on supreme court bail.

He had applied for bail in the Brisbane Magistrates Court in March but it was rejected.

His bail conditions include residential address in Queensland, reporting conditions and no contact orders.

He also had to surrender his passport and is not allowed to travel interstate.

Mr Dwyer asked Mr Bendall if he wanted the matter “set … down for committal and I’ll issue a summons to them to get them to be here”.

Mr Bendall said, “Perhaps not at this stage.”

“This is the last adjournment I’m going to give, this has been going on for quite some time,” Mr Dwyer said.

“If they haven’t supplied a statement by then you can tell them that I’ll issue a summons.”

He marked this course in the file notes and the matter was adjourned for a date in August.

Mr Ewen’s appearance was excused.