Burdell man charged with 32 offences of rape, child sex abuse on 6yo girl

A man meant to protect the daughter of a woman he loved instead allegedly subjected her to the most “heinous” of crimes, by raping her, recording the acts and sharing it online.

A MAN meant to protect the daughter of a woman he loved instead allegedly subjected her to the most “heinous” of crimes, by raping her, recording the acts and sharing it online.

The Burdell boilermaker, who cannot be named to protect his victim, was arrested on Tuesday for more than 32 offences he allegedly committed against a six-year-old girl in 2016.

Police will allege the man raped and sexually abused the girl almost every month for a year.

The young victim was the daughter of a woman the 35-year-old was seeing at the time.

Police will allege that the man recorded his alleged sexual crimes and shared the material online.

Townsville Child Protection and Investigation Unit officer-in-charge Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles said police were tipped off by international agencies.

“The investigation commenced as a result of international partner agencies reporting back to us that there was exploitation being exchanged,” Sen-Sgt Miles said.

“That got provided to us, we undertook our investigations and located material that identifies the offences.”

Sen-Sgt Miles said the investigation was still in the early stages.

The man has been charged with two counts of rape, 12 counts of varied indecent treatment of a child offences, eight counts of making child exploitation material and six counts of possessing child exploitation material, among other offences.

The accused appeared at Townsville Magistrates Court on Wednesday from the dock, and was granted parole with strict conditions.

His legal representative Michael Hibble told Magistrate Steven Mosch his client intended to plead guilty to the offences in the District Court.

Mr Hibble said the man was at risk of spending up to 12 months in custody before the matters could be heard in the higher court if not granted bail.

Mr Hibble said the man was facing a term of imprisonment, “make no mistake”.

Police prosecutor Kassandra Hall said the alleged offences were “the most heinous of nature” and said bail was “strongly opposed”.

Magistrate Mosch granted bail with the strict conditions that the man was not to contact the juvenile victim or any member of the victim’s family, not to go within one kilometre where the victim or victim’s family might be residing for any reason, not to attend any educational centre or school, no reportable contact with children under 16 years or access to the internet or any device that can access internet.

The matters were remanded to July 21 for committal mention.

Originally published as Burdell man charged with 32 offences of rape, child sex abuse on 6yo girl