Anthony Sampieri faces court over alleged sex attack at Kogarah dance studio

The man who allegedly raped a girl at knifepoint in a toilet of a Sydney dance studio is also accused of attacking the seven-year-old’s mother.

Anthony Peter Sampieri arrives at Maroubra Police Station before being charged yesterday. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

The man accused of sexually assaulting a seven-year-old at knifepoint in a toilet after allegedly choking her into submission is also charged with assaulting the girl’s mother.

Anthony Sampieri has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm against the girl’s mother, who allegedly was slashed in a melee in the Kogarah dance hall toilet.

It has been revaled that Sampieri allegedly choked the young girl so he could sexually assault her.

Further details of the alleged incident emerged as Anthony Peter Sampieri appeared by audio visual link, his head bowed, in Waverley Local Court.

The 54-year-old also allegedly filmed himself committing an act of indecency on the seven-year-old for the purpose of producing child abuse material.

Sampieri, dressed in a prison green T-shirt and shorts, refused to look up at the camera during his court appearance.

Sampieri appeared by audio visual link from the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at Silverwater Correctional Complex in western Sydney.

Anthony Sampieri bowed his head and would not make eye contact as he appeared via video link from Silverwater prison. Picture: Vincent de Gouw.

Sampieri is also charged with allegedly choking the young girl and assaulting the girl’s mother.

His barrister Ken Buckman said Sampieri did not want to appear on the screen, but Magistrate Lisa Stapleton required him to do so.

Even when Ms Stapleton twice addressed him directly, asking him if he could hear her, he answered a brief “yes”, but his eyes remained downcast avoiding looking into the court.

Sampieri is charged with 11 alleged offences including sexual intercourse with a child under 10, aggravated kidnapping, use child under 14 to make child abuse material, and two counts of wounding or grievous bodily harm with intent.

Sampieri entered no plea.

Police allege that the offences happened between 7.30pm and 7.45pm on November 15 at the dance studio in Kogarah, in Sydney’s south.

The court heard that Sampieri had consented to an application for a forensic procedure which had been made the day after the alleged assault.

Police allege Sampieri physically and sexually assaulted the girl in an upstairs toilet inside the Arena building where she was taking a dance lesson.

The dance studio in Kogarah where the alleged sex attack happened. Picture: Damian Hoffman

A man strapped on a gurney is taken to hospital after the alleged attack eleven days ago.

It is alleged he locked the child in a cubicle and held her at knifepoint, sexually assaulting her and filming her.

Police allege Sampieri filmed part of the alleged attack on a mobile phone and that he allegedly choked the girl “to render [the girl] incapable of resistance done to enable him committing an indictable offence ... sexual assault”.

Police say that when two other men, the father of another dance student Nicola Gilio and local dentist Jeffrey Stack intervened, a struggle ensued.

It is further alleged that Sampieri then stabbed a 45-year-old Mr Gilio in the abdomen and the neck.

Sampieri is charged with wounding Mr Gilio with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Sampieri was taken into custody immediately after the alleged assault, but was treated in hospital for reportedly advanced liver cancer.

Around 4pm on Sunday, after he was deemed fit by doctors, police took Sampieri from hospital to Maroubra Police Station in handcuffs.

The toilet where young girl was allegedly attacked while attending a dance class. Picture: Nine News.

Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad under Strike Force Berliet formally arrested and charged Sampieri.

Sampieri is also charged with choke person intend commit indictable offence, attempting or assaulting with intent to have sexual intercourse with a child under 10, aggravated act of indecency being filmed, aggravated indecent assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has indicated police would seek a life sentence if Sampieri is convicted.

Sampieri will appear again in court in January.