Spreading STI charges against Zak Jordan Winsley dropped

A Queensland “gym bro” is no longer accused of knowingly spreading a sexually transmitted infection to multiple women he met online. However, he still faces a raft of serious allegations including rape and stalking.

Zak Jordan Winsley, 24, is still facing a raft of serious charges including rape, stalking, and illegally taking and sending explicit images.

Charges alleging a Mackay region “gym bro” knowingly spread a sexually transmitted infection to women he met online have been dropped.

But Magistrate Damien Dwyer refused to grant bail for the 24-year-old, who still faces a raft of serious charges including rape, stalking, and illegally taking and sending explicit images.

The case against Campwin Beach man Zak Jordan Winsley was brought forward so the prosecution could drop the two counts of acts intended to cause GBH or transmit serious disease.

Police had previously alleged Mr Winsley had engaged in sexual relationships with numerous women from Airlie Beach to the Sunshine Coast between November 2022 and July 2023 and that he had not disclosed to them he had an STI.

But on Wednesday, Mackay Magistrates Court was told these charges were being discontinued.

The court heard Mr Winsley was also already on bail for allegations of stalking between June and July 2023, currently proceeding through the Maroochydore District Court, and a rape charge on November 16, 2023.

Zak Jordan Winsley, 24, appeared in Mackay Magistrates Court on February 28, 2024. Police allege he 'knowingly' spread serious disease to multiple intimate partners. Picture: Supplied

Legal Aid Queensland solicitor Rosie Varley sought further bail on the remaining two charges – making observations or recordings of the genital or anal region in breach of privacy at Campwin Beach on October 26, 2023 and distributing intimate images on January 20, 2024.

Ms Varley argued her client had never been jailed before, had already spent about eight months in custody and was at risk of spending too much time on remand.

But Mr Dwyer said the passage of time in jail was not enough.

“How can I be satisfied that he’s not going to commit further offences?” Mr Dwyer asked.

“The allegations are very strong, very strong.”

Mr Dwyer said Mr Winsley, who appeared in court via videolink, had allegedly breached both his Magistrates Court and Supreme Court bail conditions and a number of orders, and was accused of further offending.

The court heard he allegedly breached of bail by having an encrypted application on an electronic device and further that there was a “sophisticated plan in place” to distribute intimate images.

“So he got bail, he got bail conditions that said he couldn’t do certain things, he (allegedly) did those certain things, and allegedly committed further offences very soon there after,” Mr Dwyer said.

Bail was refused.

The court heard the DNA analysis in relation to the rape charge was still outstanding and the expected timeline could be one to two years.

Mr Winsley’s case will be mentioned in late November.

Originally published as Spreading STI charges against Zak Jordan Winsley dropped