Oska Purcell charged with choking and sexual assault

An eastern suburbs junior solicitor charged with serious violent offences including choking and sexual assault has been granted bail by a Sydney magistrate, leaving police stunned.

A Bondi junior solicitor has appeared at Waverley Local Court charged with serious violent and sexual offences.

An eastern suburbs junior solicitor accused of choking a woman twice and repeatedly sexually assaulting her has been granted bail by a Sydney magistrate, leaving police stunned.

Oska Purcell appeared before Magistrate Rodney Brender at Waverley Local Court on Monday afternoon charged with a raft of concerning alleged offences.

The 25-year-old junior commercial litigation solicitor at Pryor, Tzannes and Wallis Law stands charged with two counts of choking, three counts of sexual intercourse without consent, sexual touching and carrying out a sexual act without consent.

He is further charged with threatening to distribute an intimate image without consent, two counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend, and assault causing actual bodily harm.

Despite the court hearing Purcell intended to continue to work, a spokesman for PTW Law confirmed he had been temporarily “stood down effective immediately”.

Mr Brender said the allegations were “concerning” but found Purcell had shown strict conditions could overcome any unacceptable risk of him being in the community on bail, as the complainant was about to move out of NSW.

Eastern suburbs junior solicitor Oska Purcell appeared at Waverley Local Court on July 22, 2024 charged with a raft of violent and sexual offences. Picture: Supplied

Multiple police close to the matter were understood to be shocked by the decision to grant bail, with one officer attending the courthouse to review the magistrate’s bench sheet of reasons and listen to a recording of the proceedings.

“Cause is shown, namely the departure of the complainant (from the jurisdiction to reside elsewhere), the lack of criminal history, the existence of restrictions pending the departure of the victim,” Mr Brender said.

“I think the risks are largely to the victim and there are strict conditions that can apply.”

Mr Brender granted Purcell bail to reside with his parents in Ultimo, surrender his passport, abstain from drugs, report to police, and not contact any prosecution witnesses.

He will also be prevented from leaving the house without his parents except to attend work, court or medical appointments and must abide by a curfew between 8pm and 7am.

Purcell gestured from the dock to his solicitor Tandy Machisa asking to be allowed to attend the gym but the magistrate dismissed this request.

“There are women around, I’m not going to do it,” Mr Brender said.

“He will have to go with a parent.”

Purcell was granted bail at Waverley Local Court on Monday afternoon.

A prosecutor had asked the magistrate to deny bail due to the “concerning fact sheet”.

Ms Machisa told the court Purcell was engaged with a psychologist and psychiatrist, was medicated for “emotional regulation” and had never been charged with a violent offence.

“Looking at the weaknesses, we’ve found there have been no sexual assault investigation kits, no corroborative witnesses, further casting doubt on credibility,” Ms Machisa said.

“I’m instructed the matters will be contested … even if he was found guilty or pleaded guilty, there are other sentences available should any negotiations take place.”

The court heard Purcell had “clients of his own which he needed to attend to” and that he has “nothing to hide” from police.

Purcell’s matter was adjourned to Downing Centre Local Court on September 17 for a brief status mention.