German tourist charged with sexual assault, wilful damage at Airlie Beach

A German traveller has been stripped of his passport and police have gathered text messages and triple-0 recordings after an alleged sexual assault at one Qld’s most popular destinations.

Finn Denker appeared in Proserpine Magistrates court on July 10 in relation to an alleged sexual assault and wilful damage incident in Airlie Beach on February 24.

A young man visiting the Whitsundays from Germany is accused of sexually assaulting a woman and damaging property at Airlie Beach.

Finn Denker, 23, appeared in Proserpine Magistrates court on Thursday in relation to the alleged incidents on February 24.

The court heard there were a number of pieces of evidence that would be provided to the court including statements, CCTV, mobile phone footage, police body-worn video, triple-0 calls, and text messages between the alleged victim and a family member.

Both the sexual assault and wilful damage charges were committed to the Mackay District Court for trial.

Magistrate Anna Smith said both matters should be heard together.

“It is in the defendant’s interest that the two charges proceed to the District Court given they are sufficient in connection and given his language barriers will provide for a fairer legal process for him,” she said.

She described the charges as serious, said they exposed Mr Denker to a period of imprisonment and advised that he seek legal advice.

In response, he told the court his visa would expire in October and questioned what impact the case would have on this.

Ms Smith told him he would need to get advice from a migration lawyer, noting his passport had been forfeited as a condition of his bail.

Originally published as German tourist charged with sexual assault, wilful damage at Airlie Beach