Port Welshpool Gippsland support worker Michael Horton charged with child sex crimes: Court

A Gippsland support worker has been allowed to take a trip to exotic Thailand despite being on bail for alleged child sex crimes.

Accused child sex attacker Michael Horton has been granted permission to fly to Thailand for work while on bail. Picture: Generic/unrelated

A South Gippsland support worker charged with serious child sex crime offences has been allowed to travel to Thailand for work.

Michael Horton, 57, fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with indecent act with a child and sexual assault.

It’s alleged Mr Horton, who was also charged with assault and indecent act in the presence of a child, violated an underage victim in Victoria.

Mr Horton, of South Gippsland town Port Welshpool, was charged by the Frankston Sexual Offences Unit on March 28 this year.

Mr Horton applied for a bail variation to allow him to travel to Thailand for “work purposes”.

The court heard Mr Horton has a Thailand-based client who “undertakes periodic respite” and the accused sex attacker had “built rapport” with the client over “several years”.

Mr Horton was “of the opinion” that the client “would not accept another support worker at short notice”, the court was told.

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The bail variation included conditions Mr Horton notify the police informant of his departure times and estimated arrival times and the “address of his accommodation in Thailand”.

The court ruled Mr Horton, who wants to take the Thailand trip between May 7 and May 22, would be temporarily handed his passport back the day before his planned departure.

Mr Horton, who the court heard is married, had his bail extended to front court at a later date.