Jahvid Gadd faces Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court for stalking charges

A registered sex offender who is accused of hugging a girl seven times after he met her at an East Gippsland church then allegedly harassed her with a barrage of text messages.

Jahvid Gadd appeared via an online web link at the Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

A registered sex offender allegedly hugged a girl seven times he met her at a church in East Gippsland and asked her if she was a virgin, a court has heard.

Jahvid Gadd, of Sale, appeared via an online web link at the Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court on Thursday on 15 charges including failing to comply with reporting obligations, commit an indictable offence on bail and stalking.

The court heard Mr Gadd visited a church in East Gippsland and approached the girl, who is aged under 18, on June 15 this year.

Mr Gadd allegedly asked the girl for her name, age and where she lived and then asked for a blessing.

He then allegedly hugged the girl seven times, moved his lips towards her and pressed his face into her neck before asking if she was a “virgin”.

The girl, who was fearful of what would happen if she didn’t comply, gave Mr Gadd her number.

That night, he allegedly sent her a number of texts including, “Thank you, you’re my angel”, “You’re so pretty and nice, are you OK? text me back please” and “Good night are you OK? still thinking about you”.

Police allege Mr Gadd sent a number of texts to the alleged victim.

The next day, the texts continued, “I still think about you hugging me, I feel safe with you” and “You never answer, you don’t like me”.

The girl then reported the matter to police.

Investigators told the court Mr Gadd had alleged unreported travels between states and didn’t report to the sex offenders registry that he had moved to Sale.

The court heard Mr Gadd made admissions to offending, and believed the complainant was over 18 and admitted to the physical touch and not reporting it to the sexual offences registry.

He also allegedly told police he was affected by methamphetamine when he went to the church.

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Defence lawyer Daniel Taylor said the alleged victim didn’t state in an email that she was under 18 and that she didn’t want “strange adults” to know she was underage.

Mr Taylor pushed for the matter to be adjourned part-heard.

In his evidence, reconnect case manager Matthew Fulton said he worked with Mr Gadd and spent hours supporting him, saying he had a lot going on.

“Substance use has been an issue,” Mr Fulton told the court.

He said Mr Gadd also suffered from paranoia and anxiety.

Mr Gadd was remanded and the matter was adjourned to July.