Wagga Wagga man Craig Leddin, 42, charged with historical Bendigo rape

A Wagga Wagga family man is contesting historical rape and assault allegations brought against him by Bendigo sex crime detectives.

Craig Leddin outside Bendigo Magistrates' Court charged with rape.

A Wagga Wagga family man is contesting historical rape and assault allegations brought against him by Bendigo sex crime detectives.

Craig Leddin, 42, who lives in Wagga Wagga suburb of Lloyd in NSW, fronted up to a slew of assault and sex crime charges at Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday supported by his family.

Mr Leddin was charged in December last year with a string of physical assaults against at least one woman between 2015 and 2020 in the Bendigo suburbs of Kangaroo Flat and Long Gully.

Sex crime detectives also allege Mr Leddin raped a woman between 2015 and 2017 in Bendigo.

Craig Leddin outside Bendigo Magistrates' Court charged with rape.

Mr Leddin is also charged with a rape in 2019.

He is further charged with non-consensual sexual touching between 2015 and 2018.

Police will also allege Mr Leddin intentionally damaged a woman’s vehicle in Long Gully in 2018.

The court heard Mr Leddin, who is on bail, was contesting the allegations.

The defence would cross examine 10 witnesses at a contested committal where a Magistrate would rule if there was sufficient evidence to take the matter to a criminal trial in the County Court.

The court heard one of the witnesses allegedly provided a “direct eye witness account” of an assault Mr Leddin is charged with.

The case was adjourned for committal in September.