Mackay child sex offender applies for private rentals to make a bail application
It is alleged he photographed young children and possessed child abuse images while on strict sex offender reporting conditions.
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A convicted child sex offender accused of taking photos of young children is looking for suitable accommodation in Mackay so he can make a bail application.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard the man, who is facing 10 charges, has been in custody on remand for a "significant" period of time.
He is charged with four counts of indecent treatment of children under 12 (take photograph), which allegedly occurred in Mackay in September 2020.
The man, who cannot be named at this stage in case it identifies any child linked to the charges, is also charged with observations in breach of privacy between September and October 2018.
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He is further charged with possessing child abuse material on September 6, 2020 and in October 2018 and breaching bail on September 5, 2020.
The man is also facing two counts of failing to comply with reporting under the Child Protection (Offender Reporting and Offender Prohibition) Act.
He is yet to enter any pleas to the charges and is therefore given the benefit of innocence until proven or he chooses to plead guilty.
The court heard applications for three accommodations had been made for private rentals.
Defence solicitor Antoinette Morton, of Fisher Dore Lawyers, said she was currently awaiting information from those applications.
"Coupled with that there have also been further applications made with community organisations," Ms Morton said, adding they were doing their best to find accommodation for her client as soon as possible.
The court heard if he was released now he would be homeless.
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"The fact that someone has no accommodation shouldn't keep them in custody but the issue is being an unacceptable risk of reoffending, which would be the situation and continue to be the situation if he was homeless," Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said.
"So it really feeds into that … unfortunately we have to continue with this process."
The court heard there were other concerns raised previously in relation to any potential access to the internet.
Ms Morton said these were being addressed, as was the possibility of temporary accommodation.
The case will be mentioned again next week.
Originally published as Mackay child sex offender applies for private rentals to make a bail application
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