Luke Charleston: Police allege Nowra council manager sexually touched children

A South Coast council manager who police allege sexually touched children under the age of 16 on three separate occasions has learned whether he’ll be released on bail. Find out what happened.

A Shoalhaven City Council building manager who police allege sexually touched children under the age of 16 on three separate occasions has made a bid to be released on bail.

Luke Charleston appeared via AVL at the Nowra Local Court on Tuesday charged with three counts of sexually touching a person between 10 and 16 years of age.

Solicitor Mikaela Mane told Magistrate Chris McRoberts on Tuesday Charleston was employed by the local Shoalhaven council as the manager for its Nowra-based chambers.

In applying for bail, she told the court that Charleston had no interaction with children during the course of his work, and would be willing to move in with his mother. An bond of $5000 was also offered by Ms Mane.

In response, a representative of the police prosecution instead argued there was a strong case against Charleston, with an early report being made by the alleged victims to specialist police.

“The two victims participated in an electronically recorded interview with police,” he said.

“They should be able to feel safe.

“No concerns of the court can be mitigated by bail conditions.”

Supplied Editorial Nowra Police Station. Picture: Google

In his deliberation, Magistrate McRoberts agreed that police had a strong case against Charleston, and said that any potential conviction would result in jail time.

“Matters of this nature are very disturbing,” Mr McRoberts said.

“These are serious allegations: They are not one act, but three charges over a short period.”

Mr McRoberts told that court that in his view, the safety of the victim was paramount.

“The question is whether that can be addressed in bail conditions,” he said.

“My experience tells me that there is a difficulty in terms of victim protection.

“ They might be harassed or might be pressured to change their story.”

Mr McRoberts refused the bail application, but admitted said Charleston had a limited criminal history, with only a single alcohol-related driving charge on his record dating back to 2015.

=Charleston will reappear before the Nowra Local Court later this year.