DFAT diplomat Neal Kretschmann, 36, pleads not guilty to stalking, masturbating in bushes of woman’s house
A decorated former diplomat with the Department of Foreign Affairs, who had postings to the Middle East and Bangladesh, has denied a “creepy” allegation he repeatedly masturbated outside a Canberra woman’s bedroom window.
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A top Australian diplomat has pleaded not guilty to stalking a woman and will deny he was masturbating outside her window.
Neal Kretschmann, 36, of Yarralumla in the ACT, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to a charge of stalking and is set to contest a string of allegations including that he sat outside a woman’s bedroom window while staring at her as he “appeared to be masturbating” in the early hours of the morning.
The former lawyer and military man, who has had a decorated career with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including postings to the Middle East and Bangladesh, has been out of jail since last month, following nearly two weeks on remand, when Magistrate Glenn Theakston “reluctantly” granted him bail.
Kretschmann’s barrister, John Masters, told the court yesterday a bail condition banning his client from being north of Lake Burley Griffin was too broad, and asked Magistrate James Lawton to only ban Kretschmann from being in the suburb his alleged victim lives in.
“He has no form at all, if I can put it that way,” Mr Masters said.
“He holds a position where he has got a lot of awards.”
Prosecutor Claire Daly said the broader ban on Kretschmann being near the alleged victim’s home had given her “significant peace of mind”.
However, Mr Lawton allowed the change.
Kretschmann’s alleged offending has previously been described as “creepy” and “extremely disturbing” in court.
Court records show police allege Kretschmann’s alleged stalking took place over nearly a year, and began when the woman woke one night to see a “tall, heavy set” and bald man with his face pressed against her bedroom window.
Later, the alleged victim says she saw a tall, bald man standing outside her bedroom “staring in at her, the male appeared to be masturbating”.
“The tall, bald man again ran off as soon as he was noticed,” court records say.
The woman installed security cameras, which captured a “tall bald male” hiding in bushes, in the same spot as she had seen the man masturbating.
Neighbours told doorknocking police that they had seen a man they recognised as Kretschmann in the area.
In March, a police patrol spotted Kretschmann’s four-wheel-drive passing the woman’s home at night with its lights off.
When confronted by police at nearly 10pm one night in March, who had started a “targeted operation” in the woman’s street, Kretschmann said he lived in Yarralumla, a suburb more than 10km away, and was “out for a walk”, according to court documents.
He was arrested, and his 4WD found nearby.
Kretschmann’s case returns to court in June.