Chef accused of sexually assaulting teen girls to stand trial in 2025

The hiring of a state-paid, unneeded court interpreter is among the latest colourful revelations in the case against a Qld chef, who had tens of thousands of TikTok followers before he shut his account amid teen sexual assault allegations.

Rockhampton chef and business owner Abhishesh Bista is accused of sexually assaulting teenage girls.

A Central Queensland chef who had tens of thousands of TikTok followers before closing his accounts down following revelations he was accused of sexually assaulting teenage girls will go to trial next year.

This is after a judge questioned the hiring of an interpreter for which the court “spent a bomb” “bomb” only for their services not to be required.

Abhishesh Bista, 27, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault, three of indecent treatment of a child aged under 16, two of indecent treatment of a child under 15 (permit).

In this week’s mention in Rockhampton District Court about trial preparation housekeeping, Judge Jeff Clarke asked defence lawyer Brian McGowran if an interpreter was still required for trial given the interpreter brought in for the pretrial hearing didn’t need to interpret one word.

Mr McGowran said he did not have those instructions.

It was also revealed that Mr Bista’s matters had been listed as reserve trials in the February sittings and number one trial in the following sittings.

The trial is expected to run for three or four days.

The allegations against Mr Bista involve three complainants aged 14 to 15.

During the handing down of a decision about an application in June this year, Judge Clarke said Mr Bista, who was also part-time owner of a business, had allegedly kissed, fondled and had “other sexual contact with girls who all have a similar age … over the same period of time”.

“The defendant is alleged to have engaged in similar grooming behaviour,” he said.

“To attempt to seduce the girls.

“An unusual feature is the risk the defendant took to (allegedly) offend when there were [others around].”

Mr Bista’s matters were adjourned to September 25.