Kurt Laxale: Man who allegedly procured 15yo girl for sex gets bail

A man from Sydney’s north who is accused of messaging a 15-year-old girl for sex and sharing pictures of his genitals has been granted bail.

A Sydney man who is accused of messaging a 15-year-old girl for sex and sharing snaps of his genitals has been granted bail.

Kurt Laxale, 26, of Ryde, was arrested and charged with one count of using a carriage service to procure a child under 15 for sexual activity at Meadowbank between April and September this year.

Laxale appeared via AVL link while his father sat quietly at the back of Hornsby Local Court on Thursday.

In court, the police prosecutor said Laxale allegedly sent “explicit messages” and photos of his genitals to a 15-year-old girl before asking her to meet him for sex.

The court heard he also had an unrelated sexual touching matter before the court.

Kurt Laxale, 26, of Ryde, was arrested and charged with one count of using a carriage service to procure a child under 15 for sexual activity. Picture: generic

The prosecutor opposed bail saying that Laxale had allegedly contacted “multiple young people” and that a police investigation was ongoing.

Yet magistrate Ian Guy said he couldn’t make a bail determination based on what police “might find down the track.”

The prosecutor also argued there was a risk that Laxale might delete evidence in the form of electronic communications stored on ‘The Cloud’ if he were released.

Kurt Laxale, of Ryde, was arrested and charged with one count of using a carriage service to procure a child under 15 for sexual activity at Meadowbank

Laxale’s legal aid lawyer said his client indicated he would be pleading guilty and that his risk to the community was “minimised” because his mobile phone and electronics were all confiscated.

The court heard Laxale had significant mental health issues including schizophrenia and ADHD.

He said Laxale’s father was also willing to move into Laxale’s Ryde home to monitor him 24/7 as part of his bail conditions.

Kurt Laxale faced Hornsby Local Court via AVL

Magistrate Guy said the prosecution case was “very strong” and noted the indication of a guilty plea.

Given Covid and his mental health issues, the magistrate said there was a “real issue” that the time spent in remand might extend the time he would receive.

He granted bail along with a string of conditions including police reporting three times a week, not leaving the house between 8pm-6am, and not using any phones or computers.

He was also ordered not to approach nor contact anyone under the age of 16.

The matter was adjourned to December 1.