Hidayat Hiskar charged with child sexual touching in Kurnell park

A man’s family member attempted to book flights for father to return to Indonesia after allegations came to light he sexual touched a child playing on equipment at a Kurnell public park, a court has heard.

Bonna Point Reserve public park located at Prince Charles Parade, Kurnell has a flying fox. Picture: Google Maps

An elderly man’s family member has allegedly tried to book his flights home to Indonesia to avoid facing charges of child sexual touching, a court has heard.

Hidayat Hiskar, 65, was refused bail in Sutherland Local Court after he was charged with touching a girl at a public park in Kurnell.

The court heard Hiskar allegedly sexually touched the girl when she was on a flying fox on four occasions and carried out a sexual act with her at a toilet block.

Hiskar was charged with four counts of intentionally sexually touching a child under 10 years old, attempting to observe a child in a private act without consent and intentionally carrying out a sexual act with or towards a child under 10 years old.

In court last week, the police prosecutor opposed bail, noting Hiskar allegedly attempted to flee the jurisdiction with a family member’s help.

Hidayat Hiskar was refused bail in Sutherland Local Court.

He said the allegations were “overt” in a public place, and there was an inference Hiskar had a “proclivity for sexual attraction to children”.

Hiskar’s lawyer Anna Tang said her client had no criminal record and was a person with a prior good character.

She said he had been in Australia for eight months and was granted a tourist visa on the date of his arrest.

Ms Tang conceded that after allegations came to light, a family member looked at booking flights for her father to return to Indonesia.

She said her client did not know his family member investigated flights and noted he had not searched for tickets on his phone nor attended a travel agent.

Ms Tang said her client would not know how to purchase aeroplane tickets nor have the funds or savings.

The lawyer proposed that Hiskar abides by a bail condition not to contact his family member to mitigate the risk of flight.

She said his family member was the person who managed his affairs and travel documents.

Ms Tang conceded the allegations against her client were “serious” but noted they only occurred over two and half hours, and there were no allegations of ongoing abuse.

She said there was no evidence to suggest anyone saw the allegations actually take place.

The court heard a woman approached the girl and said, “if that man touches you like that again, tell your mum”, but Ms Tang noted the woman had not been identified.

Ms Tang said the allegations of touching the child’s breasts and inner thigh occurred when he was helping the girl on a flying fox play equipment and not in a sexualised manner.

She said the child had to stand up on a chair while it moved along a rope, the child had to be held for safety reasons, and children needed assistance to get on and off the ride.

The court heard an allegation of sexual touching was said to occur in a public toilet block nearby.

Ms Tang said CCTV footage of the toilet block allegedly showed Hiskar and the girl entering and exiting but did not capture the allegation.

The lawyer said Hiskar had strong community ties with his family in Australia, adding a family friend would allow him to stay at her house and offered an $8000 surety.

Ms Tang said Hiskar could also not approach a child under 16, not approach an international airport or point of departure and could provide his mobile number to be monitored by police.

The court heard Hiskar intended to defend the allegations.

Magistrate Phillip Stewart refused to grant bail noting the risks to the community were too high.