Deane Roach: Canberra swimming pool alleged flasher refused bail
A Canberra man says he has turned his life around since a spate of ‘shameless’ alleged nudity and defecation incidents at public pools around the city.
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A man accused of repeatedly exposing himself at public pools around Canberra has been refused bail, despite insisting he had pulled his life together in recent weeks by meeting up with a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Deane Richard Roach, 43, of Holt, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday where Magistrate Margaret Hunter refused him bail, saying she feared he could reoffend if released.
Roach is yet to enter pleas to three counts of indecent exposure, four counts of committing acts of indecency, three counts of offensive behaviour in public, one count of stalking and one count of property damage.
But as a prosecutor detailed the allegation he damaged property by defecating in a hydrotherapy pool, Roach — who appeared by video link — repeatedly said “not guilty, not guilty”.
It was not entered as a formal plea.
“I have pulled my life together in the last couple of weeks,” he said.
“It’s been four weeks since I have been in swimming pools.”
Roach is accused of exposing himself to a teenage lap swimmer and a lifeguard at the ANU Club Lime pool, where he is alleged to have said he didn’t know he had to wear clothes while swimming.
He is further accused of exposing himself at a hydrotherapy pool in Canberra’s southern suburbs, defecating in it, and stalking a woman who confronted him about his conduct there.
He was arrested after being seen nude at the Mt Stromlo Leisure Centre, including in a pool near two young children.
Staff there recognised Roach from a police media release in relation to his alleged drunken urination in a Coles supermarket.
A court-ordered mental health report found Roach was not mentally ill and did not require treatment.
Prosecutors told the court on Tuesday Roach’s behaviour was “shameless”, repeated and that he posed a risk of reoffending if released on bail.
Roach’s legal aid lawyer, Helen Hayunga told the court her client had no record for similar offending and, if released on bail, he could be ordered to avoid public swimming pools and banned from drinking.
Ms Hayunga said he had steady work as a delivery driver.
Ms Hunter said the allegations against Roach were “bizarre”, that the prosecution case was strong, and that if he was found guilty he would be in breach of a suspended sentence for unrelated driving offences.
Roach was remanded in custody and will return to court in November.
