Men charged over alleged gang rape on buck‘s show in Newcastle West Airbnb

Detectives allege a teenage woman was sexually assaulted by multiple men who had travelled to Newcastle to celebrate an upcoming wedding.

Detectives who have arrested three men over the alleged gang rape of a teenage woman during a buck’s weekend in Newcastle are investigating the alleged sexual assault of a second woman during the same weekend, court documents state.

One of the men, Sydney-based civil engineer Andrew David, was released from custody on Wednesday night after being granted strict conditional bail on two counts of aggravated sexual assault in company with other person/s and one count of sexually touch another person without consent.

Mr David, 28, of Horsley Park, was arrested along with a second man during a series of dawn raids by Strike Force Bombe detectives on Wednesday following a three-month investigation into the alleged rape of a 19-year-old woman in Newcastle West on the night of February 26.

Andrew David, whose face cannot be shown for legal reasons, leaves Fairfield Police Station after his sister posted a $20,000 surety. He has been charged in relation to the sexual assault of a woman in Newcastle.

Police allege the woman had agreed to visit an Airbnb unit on Parry St with one of the men, who was a member of the buck’s show weekend.

But she has told police she was allegedly sexually assaulted in one of the rooms by multiple men, with police facts stating Strike Force Bombe was investigating a similar complaint made by a second woman.

A police statement said the second man arrested on Wednesday, a 20-year-old from Edensor Park, was granted police bail after being charged with “one count of aggravated sexual assault in company with other person/s, being that of principal in the second degree”.

Andrew David, whose face cannot be shown for legal reasons, was released on conditional bail.

It will be alleged the younger man was in the room when the gang rape took place but did not physically touch the woman.

The charges follow the arrest of another man, a 28-year-old from Bossley Park, on May 6. He was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault in company with other person/s and one count of sexually touch another person without consent.

He was granted bail in Fairfield Local Court to reappear on July 4.

Police facts allege there were more men in the room when the woman was assaulted and investigations were continuing.

When applying for bail in Fairfield Local Court on Wednesday, Mr David’s lawyer, Elias Tabchouri of Macquarie Law Group, said a surety of $20,000 had been secured by the man’s sisters.

“He resides in the family home with his parents,” Mr Tabchouri said.

“Concerns around interfering with witnesses might be an identifiable risk, however, he has known about these allegations for a long time.

“We support a decision to impose restrictions regarding visiting Newcastle and non-association with witnesses.”

Mr Tabchouri said plans for Mr David’s June 18 wedding would need to be “amended” to ensure several witnesses no longer attended.

“He has no plans for a honeymoon,” Mr Tabchouri said.

“Given the current evidence in this man’s case, that which connects him to the case is based on what his co-accused says he believes occurs.

“The allegations clearly have a weaker context against him than his co-accused.”

Mr David was granted strict conditional bail to reappear in Fairfield Local Court on July 4.