Ex-councillor in court on multiple child sex charges
The 24 historic sex charges include 9 of indecent treatment of boys, attempting to commit an unnatural offence and indecent assault
Coffs Harbour
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A FORMER Gympie district council representative has appeared in Gympie Magistrates Court on 24 historic sex charges.
The charges include nine alleging indecent treatment of boys under 17.
As well as those charges, the man, who cannot yet be named for legal reasons, faces three charges of unlawful deprivation of liberty and a charge each of wilful damage and causing grievous bodily harm.
The sex charges also include one charge each of attempting to commit an unnatural offence, indecent assault, sexual assault by oral contact on the genital or anus area, unlawful and indecent assault by penetration (other than with the penis) or by oral contact and 11 counts of indecent assault on males.
The 29 charges allege a string of offences committed on various dates from October 15, 1979 up to February 14, 1999.
All 29 matters were adjourned, with bail, for another court appearance prior to the matters potentially moving to a higher court.
The alleged offences began in 1979.
The claimed offences involve various dates, taking him through to approximately his late 30s.
He did not enter a plea on his first court appearance yesterday.
The vast majority of the alleged offences occurred during the 1980s, with a few in the 1990s.
The charges are expected to remain before Gympie Magistrates Court, pending possible committal to the District Court next month.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan did not read the charges out in court and remanded the former councillor for committal mention on his next appearance.
By law, people accused of sex offences cannot be named unless or until they are committed to a higher court.
Even then, they still cannot be identified if this would identify any victim or any child, including any child witnesses.
The man is due to appear in the Gympie court again on September 30.
Originally published as Ex-councillor in court on multiple child sex charges
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