Man accused of abducting 11-year-old girl named
BRETT HILL, the man accused of abducting and repeatedly raping an 11-year-old girl, has been threatened in jail by an inmate, his lawyer has told a court.
NSW
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A MAN accused of abducting and repeatedly raping an 11-year-old girl has been told to “watch yourself” by a fellow prison inmate, a court has heard.
Brett David Hill can now be named as the man accused of abducting the girl in Newcastle’s south, despite his legal aid lawyer arguing it would compromise his safety in jail.
This morning at Newcastle Local Court, Magistrate Robert Stone lifted the non-publication order on 47-year-old Hill’s identity, as it was revealed that police have preliminary DNA results to be used as evidence in their case.
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Hill, from New Lambton, appeared via video link from jail. His head was shaved and at times he would place his head in his hands, sometimes rubbing his face.
His legal aid lawyer Robert Hussey argued that a non-publication order on his client’s identity, which stopped media from naming him, should be extended.
He said his client had instructed him he was currently sharing a cell in protective custody with person who was schizophrenic.
There were razor blades in the cell they both had access to, a kettle for boiling water and a television set, the court heard.
“This is a unique case given the particular media coverage it has received, given the anger and emotion that it has brought out of members of the community in terms of the brazenness of the alleged offending and the circumstances in which it took place particularly in the Newcastle locality,” Mr Hussey said.
He told the court that his client had already had a threat passed onto him from another inmate at the custodial centre with words to the effect of “this is the bloke from Newcastle … you should watch yourself”.
“Unfortunately violence does occur within correctional centres quite often … And there is certainly on my instructions the potential of harm to be occasioned upon (Hill) if his identity were released.”
However prosecutor Rebecca Witherspoon argued that “open justice” should occur and revealed a “complainant” had already come forward to police.
“The public should be aware of the allegations and the alleged perpetrator of the allegations. “The community should not be closed off to these current allegations before the court,” she said.
“The disclosure of the identity will not compromise the investigation. The investigation has gone beyond that of a circumstantial case now.”
She said police had DNA evidence and there were preliminary results.
Ms Witherspoon also submitted that publishing Hill’s name “may lead to other persons coming forward that the offender has offended against”.
She said one complainant had already come forward with respect to the matters. The Daily Telegraph understands this is a witness and not an alleged further victim.
Ultimately Magistrate Stone agreed with her, lifting the non-publication order on Hill’s name because the “overriding principal is the interests of open justice”.
He said concerns for Hill’s safety could be addressed through him getting a cell on his own and remaining in protective custody.
When the matter was over a person standing inside the court yelled out “hang the bastard”.
Police will allege the girl was kidnapped by Hill after he threatened her with a knife near a school in Adamstown Heights last Tuesday.
He allegedly raped her before driving to remote bushland where he repeatedly raped and indecently assaulted her over five hours.
Court documents say the girl suffered lacerations.
Police alleged she was only released after five hours when Hill dropped her at Kotara Railway Station.
Police painstakingly stitched together CCTV and received more than 200 calls to Crime Stoppers after saying it was their “mission” to find the person responsible for the horrific crime.
Police say the breakthrough came when police obtained dashcam footage from a bus.
Hill has been charged with kidnapping, six counts of aggravated sexual assault, and four counts of aggravated indecent assault.
Police have seized his red Holden Commodore for forensic examination.
No plea was entetred. Bail was not applied for and it was formally refused with the matter to return to court in August.