Simon Ricardo Barra Yaite refused bail for third time after alleged sex attacks

An alleged remark made by a young man accused of attacking women exercising while filming it for an online sex group has been heard during his push for release on bail.

Simon Ricardo Barra Yaite appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Friday after being brought to the watch-house from prison. Picture: Patrick Woods

An alleged Mountain Creek sex attacker accused of filming his exploits on unsuspecting women exercising and uploading them to an online sex chat continues to remain behind bars after being deemed a danger to the community.

Magistrate Anna Smith found Simon Ricardo Barra Yaite was still an ongoing risk to women on the Sunshine Coast after a third unsuccessful release application on seven charges of sexual assault and one of common assault.

His allegations were heard in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Friday, where it was claimed the 21-year-old sexually assaulted multiple women who were exercising in the evenings over several months last year at Buderim, Mountain Creek and Sippy Downs.

Police prosecutor Mel Pyke alleged Barra Yaite would lie in wait before he would approach women from behind and grab their bums while they exercised at night.

Sergeant Pyke said one of the alleged victim’s fell over when she was grabbed and was left with a bruise, with the 21-year-old heard laughing during the incident.

He faces seven charges. Picture: Patrick Woods

It’s alleged by detectives Barra Yaite would film some of the attacks to watch and uploaded the videos to an online sex group he found by Googling “groping”.

This led to him allegedly joining a Telegram porn chat where other users would exchange their own footage.

The court heard after his arrest, he allegedly told police he needed to be stopped and thought his offending would escalate to raping someone. He also allegedly labelled himself a “pervert” and a “degenerate” and referred to it as his “second secret life”.

Video of one of the women being allegedly attacked by the 21-year-old was shown to Ms Smith in a closed court.

Sergeant Pyke said the allegations involved predatory behaviour and even when given watch-house bail by police after his arrest in November due to his lack of history and support from his parents, he allegedly offended again, this time against a 17-year-old shop worker at Sunshine Plaza.

Police allege he touched the teenager inappropriately multiple times under the guise of looking for clothes.

He was arrested again on December 23 and remanded in custody where he has spent five months behind bars.

Sergeant Pyke said the risks of reoffending remain and objected to Barra Yaite’s bail application, and stated he was not that forthcoming as another alleged victim only came forward due to media reports and not from Barra Yaite.

Legal Aid solicitor Cherisse Wildin said the reason for bringing on another bail application was due to receiving funding for a psychiatric report which would show his antecedents and rehabilitation options. The lawyer said it would take until at least August to allow for the interview and report to be created.

It’s further alleged he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl working at Sunshine Plaza.

Ms Wildin submitted it was not being used for a mental health defence but for it to be taken into account upon sentence.

She put forward even stricter bail conditions including a 24 hour curfew and a requirement he cannot leave his house without his parents.

The solicitor said this partnered with spending too much time in custody combined the new report amounted to a change in circumstances required for another bail application to be heard.

The court heard the Chilean-born Barra Yaite who came to Australia in 2021 wanted to continue his university study online at Sunshine Coast University.

Taking this into account, Ms Smith alleged it was targeted offending against vulnerable people which occurred at one point on bail, and was not satisfied any conditions would reduce the risk to the community. She believed actual imprisonment was not out of range despite his youth.

Bail was refused. His matters will return to court at a later date.