Joshua Stevens: Rural Fire Service firefighter to defend rape of minor charges in trial

A Rural Fire Service volunteer and former private schoolboy who once requested bail be changed so he could fight bushfires has denied raping a 14-year-old girl in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Joshua Stevens appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.

A Rural Fire Service volunteer and former private schoolboy has denied raping a 14-year-old girl at Double Bay in 2016, when he was aged 18, and is expected to go on trial next year.

Joshua James Stevens, now 25, appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday where his lawyer Lindsay Stankovic entered not guilty pleas to two counts of aggravated sexual assault – victim under the age of 16 years.

Police allege Stevens had sexual intercourse with the complainant without her consent at Double Bay on October 28, 2016, between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, according to court documents.

The man, from Lake Cathie near Port Macquarie, was apprehended on April 28 at 6.34am.

Ms Stankovic confirmed her client’s not guilty pleas before Magistrate Jennfier Atkinson with the Crown prosecutor requesting the matter be mentioned at Downing Centre District Court next month.

Josh Stevens will go on trial at Downing Centre District Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

It was ultimately accepted by Ms Atkinson who committed the matter for trial.

The court heard the AVO attached to the matter would remain in the local court and Ms Stankovic asked for it to remain on an “interim basis”.

A court previously heard Stevens was a member of the Lake Cathie Rural Fire Service where a request to amend his bail conditions – to allow him to continue working as a firefighter – were granted.

It requires Stevens “not to be in the direct company of any child under the age of 16 unless either” of his parents “are present or unless in the company of an adult and while performing duties as a member of … Rural Fire Service”.

Stevens’ other bail conditions include not being able to enter any international airport or other point of departure from Australia, he must live at a home in Lake Cathie and an acceptable person was to enter into a bail security agreement or agreement to forfeit $10,000 if he failed to comply with his bail obligations.

The matter will return on December 15.