Riverstone man Sayed Sediqi charged with aggravated sexual intercourse with child

A western Sydney man accused of ‘very, very serious” child sex crimes is now allowed a mobile phone, after his lawyer successfully argued it was “2024, not 1994”.

Sayed Sediqi leaves Penrith Local Court last Friday.

A court has lifted an alleged Snapchat predator’s mobile phone ban after the western Sydney man’s lawyer argued it was “not 1994”.

Sayed Iqbal Sediqi, 22, faced Penrith Local Court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to aggravated sexual intercourse with a child, four counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 14, and intentionally sexually touching a child under 14.

The Riverstone man, who is on bail over what were described as “very, very serious” allegations, is yet to enter a plea to a further charge of failing to disclose the identity of a driver.

Court papers allege Sediqi had sex with a 14-year-old girl five times on April 4 and 5, including one time in circumstances of aggravation with bruising being inflicted on various parts of her body.

Sayed Sediqi leaves Penrith Local Court last Friday.

The court heard Sediqi had allegedly met the minor using the Snapchat app.

A prosecutor told the court the alleged victim had made “immediate complaint to police” and a subsequent test revealed Sediqi’s DNA on her body, making the prosecution case “relatively strong”.

Sediqi’s lawyer successfully applied to have one of the 22-year-old’s bail conditions removed, allowing him to possess a mobile phone and access a computer in order to continue work and study.

“It’s 2024, not 1994, “ the lawyer argued. “It’s not practical to not have access to a phone, especially when attending work and TAFE, and he needs the computer to launch work programs.”

Sediqi will return to Penrith District Court for arraignment.

The lawyer added that Sediqi “must have some foundation to build his life upon” if he was acquitted.

The prosecution “strongly opposed” the bail variation, saying it would be “disproportionate to the seriousness of the (alleged) offending” and claiming Sediqi posed “a risk to the community if permitted to use a phone”.

Magistrate George Breton chose to grant the bail variation, allowing Sadiqi to access a phone but under a lengthy set of conditions banning him from using any social media or messaging apps.

“He is only to access the services available,” Mr Breton said.

“If does decide to go on Snapchat, police will be looking at his phone activity.”

Under the new conditions, Sadiqi has been ordered to provide police the passcode to any phone he obtained within 12 hours.

He is banned from accessing Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Kik and YouTube, along with other sites.

He is not allowed to attend a preschool, playground, school or day care facility and is banned from contacting anyone under 16.

Sediqi is set to be arraigned in Penrith District Court on November 22.