Mimbi‘s Diner: Matthew John Brown asked teen girl for sex before menacing her on Facebook
The former owner of popular south coast diner Mimbi’s has admitted to asking a 15-year-old girl for sex before menacing her on Facebook.
The South Coast News
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The former owner of a popular south coast diner will be sentenced next month after using a social media messaging app to attempt to lure a teenage girl to have sex with him.
A forlorn looking Matthew John Brown, 35, who was forced to close his business, Mimbi’s Diner in Merimbula, after being unable to pay rent while in custody, faced Bega Local Court on October 26 via video link from Hunter Correctional Centre.
He pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to procure someone under 16 for sexual activity, and using a carriage service to menace after being arrested by south coast detectives in November 2019.
The Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions withdrew a charge of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material.
Brown uttered the words “that’s clear”, after being told by Magistrate Doug Dick he would be sentenced during the next sitting of the Bega District Court.
Some details of Brown’s offending were placed in a sealed envelope by prosecutors, only to be opened when he is sentenced.
Court documents state Brown tried to convince the 15-year-old to perform sexual acts via Facebook in November 2019 before menacing her on Facebook Messenger in March last year after his attempts to seduce her failed.
The court heard Mr Brown had been living at an address at Millingandi when he sent the messages, before moving into the diner, which he was unable to continue to run when his bail was revoked earlier this year.
The court heard Mr Brown had owed $17,000 in rent, and had faced backlash from the community over the charges.
Court documents state prosecutors earlier withdrew a charge of grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity allegedly involving another teen girl and causing a child to do an act of child prostitution.
Mr Brown was taken into custody last month after a friend, known as “Richard”, who had agreed to allow him to stay at his Merimbula home while on bail, failed to show up to court to sign his bail, the court heard.
Brown will be sentenced at Bega District Court on November 29.
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