Paul Showell, 55, charged at Bendigo Magistrates’ Court with child sexual abuse

A Bendigo man accused of child sexual abuse has failed in his bid to have the details of his case kept under wraps to “protect” him. Now the latest details of the case can be revealed.

Paul Showell is accused of sexually abusing a child and a woman at Castlemaine and Bairnsdale.

A Bendigo man accused of child sexual abuse has failed in his bid to have the details of his case kept secret to “protect” him.

Paul Showell, 55, faced Bendigo Magistrates Court on Wednesday via video link charged with multiple sexual assaults between 2013 and 2018.

In a bid to keep the allegations against Mr Showell shrouded in secrecy, his lawyer asked that media be denied access to details of the allegations levelled against the accused child abuser to “protect” him.

Paul Showell’s legal team failed to have the details of the charges against him suppressed.

Mr Showell’s lawyer claimed the secrecy would also “protect” the alleged victim.

But Magistrate Johanna Metcalf refused the request on the grounds of upholding the principals of open justice.

Court documents revealed Mr Showell was facing allegations that he gropped a child under the age of 16 through her clothing in 2013.

Police also allege Mr Showell sexually touched a woman through her clothing without consent between November 2016 and November 2017.

He was further charged with allegedly sexually touching a woman through her clothing in 2018.

Police also alleged Mr Showell possessed child abuse material between January and December of 2016.

The charges were filed against Showell on November 15, 2023 following a Victoria Police investigation by the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation unit.

Mr Showell remained on bail ahead of his next court date in May.