Joe Prendergast back in court for committal hearing
The wheels of justice ground inexorably on in the 750-day case of Burnett businessman Joe Prendergast, who has entered no plea to multiple charges including 11 counts of rape.
Police & Courts
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Burnett businessman Joe Prendergast was back in court on Tuesday for the sixth day of a committal hearing into his sexual abuse charges.
Mr Prendergast has been charged with 11 counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and one count of attempted indecent assault of a child under 16 in July, 2023.
He appeared in court in person on July 8, alongside his lawyer, with police prosecutor Pepe Gangemi appearing via phone in Murgon Magistrates Court.
The hearing, which was closed to the public once again due to the age of one of the alleged victims, heard Mr Prendergast’s legal team was still waiting on several pieces of evidence.
Prosecutors had previously alleged the assaults were committed over a period of six years, against a woman in her 30s and a girl who was under the age of 16 at the time.
Mr Prendergast once owned Joe’s Grand Hotel in Goomeri, which changed hands in April 2025, and is now owned and operated by Jackson Macdonald.
He is the managing director of Dusty Joe’s Pty Ltd, which operates the Dusty Hill Vineyard in Moffatdale and the Goomeri Bakery.
The case has garnered significant public interest and media attention since Mr Prendergast was first charged more than two years ago, and has been before the court for almost 750 days.
There was no clear indication on Tuesday of when the committal process will be concluded and whether the matter will be moved to a higher court.
No pleas have been entered in relation to any of the charges.
Magistrate Andrew Sinclair adjourned the case until August 8, in Murgon Magistrates Court.
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Originally published as Joe Prendergast back in court for committal hearing
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