Charlise Mutten’s stepdad Justin Stein asks court for protection in custody after being charged with her murder

The man accused of killing nine-year-old schoolgirl Charlise Mutten who vanished from the Blue Mountains has made a request in court.

Justin Stein, the man charged with the murder of his stepdaughter Charlise Mutten whose body was found in a barrel has asked for protection in custody amid concerns for his safety.

The 31-year-old man appeared in court on Wednesday, charged with murdering the nine-year-old who disappeared from the NSW Blue Mountains.

Charlise was reported missing from a wedding estate in Mount Wilson about 8.20am Friday, sparking a major air and ground search.

Stein appeared at Central Local Court on Wednesday from the cells at Surry Hills police station where his lawyer requested he was protected in custody as he was worried about his safety.

“He has asked the court to recommend a no-association classification,” he said.

Magistrate Robert Williams said he had no power to keep him separate from other prisoners, but the lawyer would have to approach Corrective Services NSW.

The accused man briefly fronted court on Wednesday. Picture: NSW Police

The accused murderer has been remanded in custody. Picture: NSW Police

Police attended a Riley Street unit at Surry Hills about 8.30pm Tuesday and arrested Stein, who was then charged with murder and refused bail.

Court documents reveal Charlise was killed between 7pm on Tuesday January 11 and 10am January 12, but police were not made aware of her disappearance until days later.

Wearing the grey jumper he was arrested in overnight and a blue surgical mask, the Mount Wilson man sat silent as his matter was mentioned.

Strike Force Buena was established by the Blue Mountains Police Area Command and assisted by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad to investigate the girl’s disappearance.

Officers conducted a search in the vicinity of the Colo River on Tuesday where they found a young girl’s body in a barrel.

The accused man, 31, will reappear in court in March. Source: NSW Police

Stein’s lawyer did not apply for bail on his behalf, but told the court he was suffering longstanding mental health issues.

A police prosecutor requested a 13-week adjournment for a brief of evidence, due to “the complexities of the matter”.

“We require additional time for the order to be served and I ask for an additional four weeks,” the prosecutor told the court.

RFS members scouring the place where the girl went missing. Picture: David Swift

“Eight weeks wouldn’t be sufficient for all the evidence to be served in that time.”

Magistrate Robert Williams declined the request and adjourned the matter for the scheduled eight weeks.

He will face Penrith Local Court on March 18.

Police, SES and RFS have spent five days scouring bushland around the multimillion-dollar wedding venue, where the girl had been staying.

The nine-year-old usually lives with her grandmother in Coolangatta, Queensland, but was spending two weeks with her mother during the school holidays.

A crime scene was established and is being examined by specialist forensic officers.

Police revealed on Wednesday that video footage and GPS data helped lead police to find the body of a missing nine-year-old girl in a barrel in NSW’s Blue Mountains.

Investigations under Strike Force Buena are continuing.

Originally published as Charlise Mutten’s stepdad Justin Stein asks court for protection in custody after being charged with her murder