Inner west: Man allegedly raped woman at Sydney store

A man accused of sexually assaulting a young woman doesn’t want the public to know who he is because it would call him “mental distress”.

A 26-year-old Campsie man, pictured, leaving Burwood Local Court. Magistrate Daniel Reiss said he needed “broader protection” in suppressing his name from being published.

A name of a man accused of rape at an inner west shop will remain a secret after a Sydney magistrate accepted he would self-harm if his identity was revealed.

The Campsie man, 26, fronted Burwood Local Court for the first time on Monday on one charge of sexual intercourse without consent and one of sexual touching without consent.

Police allege the man attacked the young woman at her workplace.

Police had earlier said they were investigating after reports five women were targeted in 16 months between February 2019 and June 2020.

The name of the young man was suppressed by Magistrate Daniel Reiss after his lawyer argued it would identify the alleged victim and cause the man to self-harm.

His lawyer had used a psychologist’s report to back up the claims.

The man, who cannot be identified, had his name suppressed by Magistrate Daniel Reiss.

The case will remain shrouded in secrecy as his name, where he works and the police statement of facts were all suppressed despite News Corp, who publishes this masthead, arguing legislation was already in place to protect the alleged victim’s identity.

Magistrate Reiss said the order would cover aspects of the case not currently protected by law and provided “broader protection” for the alleged sex pest, who claims publishing his name would cause him mental distress.

The Burwood Police Area Command had been investigating the case for months before they swooped on the man.

In court they did not oppose keeping his name a secret.

The man was free to walk from court on bail and his case was adjourned to be heard back in the same court next year.

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