Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland help investigation into alleged Sunshine Coast rape case

A Sunshine Coast man accused of raping a teenager was charged after the Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland got two uncooperative witnesses to speak with police.

A Sunshine Coast man who allegedly raped a teenager might never have been charged without the assistance of the Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland.

The CCC’s annual report states investigators assisted Queensland Police Service with its investigation of a man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who allegedly raped and sexually assaulted a teenager from 2019-2020.

Investigators obtained evidence during a hearing held in July 2020 from two previously uncooperative witnesses and corroborating evidence to assist the QPS investigation.

The Sunshine Coast child exploitation unit confirmed the man is expected to face trial in Maroochydore District Court later this year.

He was charged with six counts of sexual assault and four counts of rape.

The CCC’s involvement was one of 16 hearings where investigators assisted police with their investigations into serious crimes against children in 2020-21.

The CCC report, which was tabled in Queensland parliament in September, focused on the performance and investigations for the 2020-21 financial year.

“The CCC’s focus on illicit markets of high value or high public impact, crimes involving actual loss of life or serious injury to a person, crimes against children and vulnerable victims, and corruption involving elected officials, misuse of confidential information and the exploitation of public sector resources shows the breadth of our work,” CCC chairman Alan MacSporran QC said.

“In the last financial year, the CCC received 3490 complaints that contained 8563 allegations of corruption. In the same period, 29 corruption investigations and 32 crime investigations were finalised, and 27 people were charged with more than 500 criminal offences.”