Damien John O’Brien charged with indecent touching of 13yo girl in Noosa

An IT worker told police he was “trying to be a good guy” after he allegedly took a girl, 13, from a shopping centre, drove her to Noosa and indecently touched her.

A Buddina IT worker who was on bail for the alleged possession of child porn has been put into custody after he was charged with indecently assaulting a teenage girl in Noosa.

Damien John O’Brien, 35, was slapped with two charges of indecent treatment of a child under 16 following an incident about 7.30pm at the Big Top Shopping Centre in Maroochydore on June 4, 2022.

According to court documents police allege Mr O’Brien had struck up a conversation with a 13-year-old girl not known to him before taking her to a secluded area along Hastings St in Noosa.

Police allege this is where the 35-year-old removed the child’s underwear and skirt and placed his hand on her thigh and moved it down towards her body over an hour period.

It’s further alleged by police during this same hour he removed his pants and used his other hand to grab the child’s hand and made her touch his genitals.

About 8.15pm the same night, police say the child’s friend went to officers and said a man had taken her mate and driven towards Mt Coolum, and was scared for her as the man had “threatened to have sex with (her friend)”.

Texts purportedly taken from the child complainant’s phone between her and her mate showed she was scared, and included messages of “just made me touch his jno (sic)”, “that he wants to f--- me and its (sic) my fault”, “he’s hurting me”, and “he is inside me”.

Mr O’Brien was intercepted by police about 11pm in Maroochydore with the child in the front seat.

The 35-year-old allegedly told police he believed the child was aged 15-16 and had driven to Noosa as they bonded over their rough childhoods.

He also allegedly told police he was “just a good guy trying to be a good guy”.

Supplied Editorial Photos Sunshine Coast Daily - Court

The child indicated to police roadside something had happened between the pair and Mr O’Brien was arrested.

According to court documents the child told police she had somehow gotten into Mr O’Brien’s car and began messaging her friends as she didn’t know what was happening.

Police later discovered Mr O’Brien was already on bail for possessing child abuse material using a carriage service stemming back to October 7, 2021.

Court documents allege the Australian Federal Police found an SD card belonging to Mr O’Brien during a raid on his Buddina home.

Police allege 451 child exploitation material files were found on the SD card along with images and videos of Mr O’Brien including his driver’s licence number.

During his appearance in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Friday June 24, 2022, Commonwealth Prosecutor Mathew Thompson asked for Mr O’Brien’s bail to be revoked.

Defence lawyer Ben Rynderman said if Mr O’Brien was to go into custody he would wait more than a year for a trial and there was no certainty he would be required to spend time in actual custody.

Mr Rynderman said the 35-year-old would be contesting all of the charges.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist revoked Mr O’Brien’s bail and adjourned his matter to August 26, 2021 where he faces two counts of indecent treatment of a child and possessing child abuse material accessed using a carriage service.