Boiling water, rocks, chillies: Toowoomba court hears man accused of child rape and torture

A Darling Downs man has been arrested on “extremely serious” charges relating to the alleged torture and sexual assault of two teenage siblings. Here’s what happened when he applied for bail.

A Darling Downs man has been arrested on “extremely serious” charges relating to the alleged torture and sexual assault of two teenage siblings. Here’s what happened when he applied for bail.

A Darling Downs man has been accused of committing “extremely serious” crimes against two minors which allegedly involved acts of sexual, physical, and physcological violence.

Following his arrest, the man in his 40s appeared at the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday, January 29, via video link, where he had his bail application refused by Magistrate Mark Howden.

The man cannot be named to protect the identity of the children, who he was living with on the same rural property, however they resided in separate swellings.

The court heard the man allegedly raped one of the minors digitally, and on other occasions, he grabbed the penis of the boy and ridiculed it.

The boy was under the age of 15.

Magistrate Mark Howden said the allegations were extremely serious, however stressed investigations had just begun.

The man also allegedly made the young teenagers carry out degrading and painful acts, which included submerging their hands in boiling water, carrying backpacks full of rocks, eating hot chillies, and licking body wash.

The man instructed duty solicitor Chelsea Saldumbide, to make a bail application with the same address of children, however Mr Howden remarked on the ludicrousness of such a request and stood the matter down.

The matter resumed with a new bail address for the man to reside at if bailed, however Mr Howden said given the “extremely serious” nature of the charges, the man’s application was refused.

Mr Howden noted the infancy of the police investigation and said the only material he had was the children’s affidavits.

“Of particular concern to the court is that he (allegedly) made specific threats to…. (one victim, who) was scared to tell anyone… because he always told (them)… if they ever mentioned his name to police, police better get there quick because he would bury them six feet under,” he said.

The Darling Downs man was remanded in custody and will next be before the court in March, 2024.

“On another occasion, he (allegedly) threatened to drown the younger male complainant in a river.

“Police also allege the parents and family of the children are in fear of the defendant.

“As I understand it, the father of the children is the defendant’s cousin.”

The man interjected the proceedings for the first and only time to correct the magistrate.

“Second cousin,” he told the court.

While acting as a duty lawyer, Mrs Saldumbide told the court the timing of the complaint seemed peculiar, as police were investigating a complaint the man had made against the children’s stepmother when the allegations came to light.

She said the man had only been living on the property in a donga for a few months and he denied the allegations.

A full brief of evidence was ordered and the case will next be mentioned before the court on March 18.

The court heard the man had a criminal history which involved acts of violence and jail terms.

He was charged with the following offences; eight counts of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, four counts of common assault, three counts of rape and torture, three charges of the indecent treatment of a child under 16, and grooming a child under the age of 16, or their caregiver, to engage in a sexual act.