Bizarre spy claim raised in ex-MP staffer’s indecent assault trial

An extraordinary claim about “spies” has been raised in the indecent assault trial of Craig Kelly’s former right hand man.

Craig Kelly’s longstanding staffer indecently assaulted five young women in pursuit of “power and control”, a court has been told.

Francesco “Frank” Zumbo, 55, appeared in Sydney Downing Centre court on Wednesday for the first day of a hearing into the 20 charges against him.

Police allege the Maroubra resident indecently assaulted five women – including one teenager – on multiple occasions between 2014 and 2020.

According to police allegations, Mr Zumbo kissed, rubbed, and groped the women while they worked at Liberal MP Craig Kelly’s office in the Sydney suburb of Sutherland.

After an adjournment on Tuesday, Frank Zumbo is facing the first day of his hearing. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Police also claim the long-time political staffer pulled his penis out of his pants in front of one of the women and rubbed the groin of another alleged victim.

Mr Zumbo has denied the 10 charges of common assault, seven counts of aggravated indecent assault, two counts of aggravated sexual touching without consent, and the charge of assault with an act of indecency.

He had previously been charged with 18 offences, but the court was told on Tuesday that a fifth alleged victim had been added to the proceedings last week.

Crown prosecutor Shaun Croner told the court that the “common thread” between the five alleged victims was Mr Zumbo’s pursuit of “power and control”.

“He was outwardly a very accomplished person. He held a highly ranked position of associate professor at one of Australia’s most highly ranked universities,” he said.

He told the court that Mr Zumbo was also employed as Mr Kelly’s chief of staff at the time, a powerful position that allowed Mr Zumbo to offer the women “access to the political sphere”.

Frank Zumbo arrives at Downing Centre Court on Wednesday with his legal team. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“In that promise of career development and mentoring, the defendant acted in a way to control the way in which he interacted with the complainants,” Mr Croner said.

The Crown prosecutor told the court that Mr Zumbo attempted to befriend the alleged victims to gain their trust and then acted to isolate them before “quickly becoming accusatory and demanding”.

The court was told Mr Kelly’s right-hand adviser encouraged kissing and hugging employees in the workplace “as part of his culture as a person of Italian background”.

Mr Croner said the long-time political staffer would introduce topics of a sexual nature “to coax the complainants” to discuss personal matters with him. After gaining their confidence, the court was told Mr Zumbo’s behaviour towards the five women was “volatile, relentless and in some cases quite aggressive”.

“The defendant initiated each of these complainants into a world of his own design. He was in control, he had the power,” the Crown prosecutor said.

“He touched these women in a way that was designed to appear, out of context, to be completely innocuous.”

Frank Zumbo has engaged one of Sydney’s top silks, Carolyn Davenport, to defend him. Picture: Jeremy Piper

The first alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, agreed with that analysis. She had only recently graduated from UNSW when she approached Mr Zumbo for career advice in 2014.

During an uncomfortable meeting at a cafe on campus, the court heard the conversation “took a turn” after Mr Zumbo asked about the woman’s last name.

“He said something along the lines of: ‘That’s very sexy. If you keep talking like that, I’m going to fall in love with you’,” the alleged victim recalled.

The young woman told the court she was “surprised” when Mr Zumbo offered her a job at former Liberal MP Craig Kelly’s office on the spot.

“He told me: ‘You’re the whole package but you’ve got a few rough edges and we’ll sort those out’,” she said.

During her memorable day working at Mr Kelly’s Sutherland office, the woman said she noticed Mr Zumbo would kiss and hug the young women who worked for him.

Frank Zumbo was the chief of staff for former United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly. Picture: Dylan Robinson

She told the court Mr Zumbo accused her of “hovering” when he was having a hug and a “special moment” moment with another young female employee.

The woman told the court the Maroubra resident became “aggressive” and told her she “came across as a Labor spy” during her day in the office. Later the same day, he made the “ridiculous” accusation that she was a spy for the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation.

The recent university graduate and Mr Zumbo had planned to meet a mutual friend for dinner, but were too late to leave the office.

Instead, she told the court she spent the next four hours being driven around Sydney and harangued.

The long-serving political sideliner became paranoid about her recording him with her phone, the woman said. When she observed he wanted her to be out of cell reception, he called her “very clever” and said she was correct.

“He said: ‘The way you talk is very sexy. No wonder all the boys want to get into your pants. You should get a friend with benefits,’ and that’s when he grabbed my thigh,” she said.

Frank Zumbo is still employed with Craig Kelly despite the allegations.

The young woman, in her early 20s at the time, said she “froze in shock”. The two then arrived in Kirribilli to get pizza for dinner, which the court heard Mr Zumbo insisted they eat outside despite the winter weather.

“I remember physically convulsing because it was so cold. He said ‘I like to keep people cold, it makes them ‘fess up more’,” the woman said.

Instead of driving the young woman home as promised, she said Mr Zumbo then took her to an abandoned car park and asked her whether she was bisexual or a “lezzo”.

“‘I’m worried you‘ll break my heart. I need you to swear your utmost loyalty to me’,” she recalled him demanding.

He also told the woman she wouldn’t talk to anyone else at the Sutherland office, telling her “you only talk to me”.

When he finally dropped her home, the woman said he asked her if she was “a kisser” which she firmly denied. She told the court she gave Mr Zumbo a “half-hearted hug” because of “the pressure and my fear of what would happen if I didn’t”.

Mr Zumbo is fighting 20 charges of assault. Picture: Damian Shaw

The court heard she walked into her home and “broke down” into tears. She did not return to work for Mr Zumbo after one day as his employee.

The young woman submitted two written complaints about his behaviour to UNSW where he worked and networked with political hopefuls, but did not make a formal complaint to police.

Defence lawyer Carolyn Davenport denied the charges and claimed her client had tried to create “a collegiate” and friendly work environment.

“At no time did he have sexual contact with them at all,” she said.

The hearing continues on Thursday with evidence from a second alleged victim.