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‘I made it all up’: Shocking questions over evidence in case against Channel Seven contestants
By Cloe Read
Two complainants have said they made up evidence and lied to police in a case against two Channel Seven reality show contestants accused of offences against children, including rape and torture.
The shocking claims were revealed on Wednesday when the accused man and woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Richlands Magistrates Court, in Brisbane’s south-west, for a directions hearing.
The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared on a Channel Seven show.Credit: Viki Lascaris
The pair, who appeared on a prominent television show, are accused of offences against children including multiple counts of rape, torture, sexual assault and common assault.
The woman faces 46 charges, including nine counts of rape, and 23 of common assault, while the man has been charged with 12 offences, including two counts of torture and seven counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.
The woman cried as she listened to the court proceedings on Wednesday and at one point rested her head on the wall.
During the hearing, magistrate Stuart Shearer noted issues with the statements two complainants had given to police.
The pair appeared in the Richlands Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Credit: Cloe Read
He said one of the complainants had said: “None of this ever happened, I never saw any of it.
“One of the [other complainants] is saying ‘everything I told police was a lie’.”
Shearer said one of the complainants had also provided an additional statement to say: “I made it all up under pressure from [another complainant].”
However, the magistrate said that a third complainant had claimed: “All of these things happened.”
The magistrate noted some of the statements relied on hearsay.
“I’ve been wondering since day one what the particulars of 15 years of torture are,” he said.
Defence barrister Simon Lewis, who is representing the accused man, told the court he had asked himself the same question.
“I’m prepared to put everybody on notice now, and it will come as no surprise ... that there will be submissions made at the conclusion of these proceedings,” he said.
Outside court, when asked if he planned to make a “no-case submission” to have the matter thrown out, Lewis replied: “Well, I guess you’ll find out on the day.”
During the hearing, Lewis said he also wanted to find out what happened to photographs allegedly showing “significant injuries”.
Media outlets, including this masthead, have previously fought suppression orders in a bid to identify the pair. However, a court last year granted a non-publication order on the grounds the woman had a complex medical history.
Bail was continued for the pair. The case will return to court in September for a committal hearing.
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