Keith Grant charged with sexually assaulting two boys in the Sutherland Shire during the 1990s

An elderly man shook his head as a court heard details about him allegedly sexually assaulting two teenage boys in southern Sydney, with police saying the first incident occurred more than 30 years ago.

Charges have been laid after two complainants came forward alleging they were sexually abused by Keith Grant in the 1990s.

A man allegedly raped two teenage boys in southern Sydney during the 1990s with police laying charges more than four years after the first complainant came forward to authorities.

Keith Grant, 80, was arrested at his home in Menai on Tuesday morning after an 18-month investigation led by detectives from the South Coast Police District.

He was was charged with 18 offences including nine counts of sexual intercourse with a child between 10 and 16 and four counts of sexual assault.

The accused faced Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday where police prosecutor Blair McGee opposed bail citing the “very strong case” involving two now-adult complainants who are “completely unknown to each other”.

The court heard the allegations from one of the complainants stems from a 12-month period in the early 1990s at Kurnell.

Keith Grant applied for bail in Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday.

The second set of alleged incidents occurred at nearby Cronulla in the late 1990s.

Mr McGee submitted one of the complainants went to police in 2020, however, the case took a major development in 2023 when a second man came forward with allegations against Grant.

“Police went back to the first victim, who had some trouble giving a statement, and said now might be the time to give a statement,” Mr McGee said.

Speaking to the strength of the case, McGee noted the complainants were both vulnerable boys and the accused had the “same sexual proclivities”.

Grant’s solicitor Mary Underwood told the court her client had no criminal history and was in “relatively good health” apart from dodgy knees, slight hearing impairment and the need for blood pressure medication.

Ms Underwood said if bailed Grant would report daily to police and not go to Cronulla or Nowra where the two complainants now reside.

The solicitor highlighted Grant’s age when submitting “we never know the ultimate outcome” and the period it would take to reach such a result.

Mr McGee described the accused’s age as a “double-edged sword”, arguing if convicted Grant “might never see beyond a custodial sentence”.

Grant shook his head as Magistrate Imad Abdul-Karim read out some of the details of the allegations against him before denying the man bail.

The case will move to Downing Centre Local Court in March.