Boden Reece Ashworth in court for indecent treatment of a child, possessing child exploitation material

New allegations against a former teacher aide accused of taking inappropriate photos of students have surfaced in court as he made a bid to return to his family home.

Boden Reece Ashworth leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court January 18, 2023.

New allegations against a former Sunshine Coast prep teacher aide, who allegedly took inappropriate photos of students on the toilet, has surfaced in court as he made an attempt to return to his family home.

Boden Reece Ashworth, 26, is charged with five counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12 by taking photographs and one charge of possessing child exploitation material after he was alleged to have taken inappropriate photos of students enrolled at a school he was working at.

He was granted bail in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on November 9 last year, but on January 18, returned for an attempt to vary his bail conditions.

At the same time, new details on fresh allegations Mr Ashworth committed a similar offences to that he was charged with in November 2022 emerged in court.

Police prosecutor Rebecca Lambert said Mr Ashworth was alleged to have taken inappropriate photos of a child while working at the Kids Club at the Caloundra RSL.

Boden Reece Ashworth leaving Maroochydore Magistrates Court.

This was before the alleged offences which had brought Mr Ashworth before the court, she said.

The number of new alleged offences was not shared in open court.

She told the court the allegations were made during investigations into the original allegations at a Sunshine Coast school, but Mr Ashworth had not been charged since he was granted bail in November 2022.

Defence lawyer Neesha Maidwell then made a bid on behalf of her client to legally allow him to return to his family home.

Ms Maidwell said this was because Mr Ashworth’s cousin, whom he had been living with in the region, was expecting their first child in May, meaning Mr Ashworth could not legally live with them after the baby was born.

She told the court if Mr Ashworth was allowed to return to his family home, he would be living with his mother and three brothers.

Boden Reece Ashworth

But concerns were raised about the family’s safety if the community knew Mr Ashworth had returned to the family home, as well as the risk of the youngest brother being targeted by “vigilante” parents and children or becoming Mr Ashworth’s next alleged victim.

Ms Maidwell disagreed with the latter claim and said there was “not a shred of evidence Mr Ashworth would offend against his own brother”.

She told the court her client had been ostracised since he was charged, having lost his job and being cut off by his friends.

He was still working through securing Centrelink payments and was unable to afford private accommodation, the court was told.

Magistrate Raelene Ellis denied the application to vary bail. Mr Ashworth will return to the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on February 3.