Justin Kane Millington granted bail ahead of trial for allegedly sexually assaulting women

A man charged with sexually assaulting two women has been granted bail despite a judge saying it was strange he was allegedly out meeting women online when he purported to be a “devoted family man”.

Justin Millington faced a Supreme Court bail hearing at Queens Square on Thursday. Picture: file

A man charged with sexually touching one woman, by sticking his hands down the back of her pants and grabbing her buttocks and sexually assaulting another woman — both of which he met online — has been granted bail.

Appearing via video link at Sydney Supreme Court, Justin Kane Millington, of Wyong, was granted strict conditional bail on Thursday to live with his mother at Lisarow, not go outside unless in the company of his mum, or his wife, and not go within 15km of Redhead or the Fernleigh Track.

The 49-year-old has also been ordered to stay off all encrypted social media applications and dating websites, abide by a curfew and report to Gosford Police Station three times a week.

Mr Millington faced a bail hearing at the Supreme Court building in Queens Square.

The court heard Mr Millington had been in custody for nearly a year after he was arrested and charged with 10 offences including five counts of sexually touching one woman and five of having sexual intercourse with another woman, who he had met online.

Mr Millington has pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges and will face trial in Newcastle District Court in February.

Court documents allege he sexually touched one woman at Redhead in Lake Macquarie on October 7, 2021, grabbing at her vagina above her clothing and also touching her breasts.

Police allege Mr Millington also sexually assaulted another woman at the Fernleigh Track at Belmont and Nine Mile Beach, exactly one year earlier, on October 7, 2020.

Mr Millington has been ordered not to go within 15km of the Fernleigh Track.

Justice Richard Button found it strange Mr Millington had been charged with assaulting two women “on the same date exactly a year apart” and that he was a “devoted family man” yet he was out meeting women on dating sites.

“In other words that doesn’t seem to fit very well that he’s meeting women online and having sexual intercourse with one of them in a public place, in terms of him being a devoted family man,” Justice Button said.

Justice Button also said it gave him “pause for thought” as to why Mr Millington was only applying for Supreme Court bail when his criminal proceedings were coming to a “critical point” ahead of his trial.

Mr Millington is accused of sexually assaulting one woman at Nine Mile Beach.

The court heard Mr Millington was still in a relationship with his wife, who was present in court, and could live with his mother at Lisarow because it was further away from Belmont and Red Head.

“To be frank about it I have a concern about Mr Millington being out and about in the day and meeting a lady perhaps in a coffee shop, a newsagents or anywhere else, and I honestly do feel as a starting point it could be appropriate that he’s not out and about at all of an evening and during the day he’s only out and about with his mother,” Justice Button said.

“I appreciate that’s rigorous but in a sense the mother would be, as it were, a chaperone.”

The court heard Mr Millington had no prior criminal history and could abide by the conditions which also included he agree to forfeit $3000 surety if he breached his bail.

He was adjourned to face Newcastle District Court on December 5.