Mountain Creek man charged with sexual assaults of women exercising

Police allege a young Sunshine Coast man assaulted multiple women while they exercised in broad daylight, on some occasions even filming his exploits and masking his face.

A 20-year-old man has been charged with sexually assaulting women as they exercised in different Sunshine Coast suburbs. Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Duhig (right) addressed the media about the arrest on Thursday. Picture: David Clark/Sam Turner

A young sex attacker who targeted women on their afternoon walks planned some of his movements and even filmed one of his assaults, police will allege.

The 20-year-old man from Mountain Creek was hit with three sexual assault charges for his alleged attacks on women exercising on footpaths in Buderim, Mountain Creek and Sippy Downs.

Police allege the man inappropriately touched three women, not known to him, on three separate occasions at Glenfields Boulevard in Mountain Creek on September 11, Cavalry Way in Sippy Downs on October 29 and the corner of Hawthorn Court and Karawatha Dr in Buderim on November 4

The Sunshine Coast Criminal Investigation Branch investigated, which led to the arrest of the 20-year-old Mountain Creek man on November 8.

He was charged with three counts of sexual assault and was granted police bail to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on November 29.

In a press conference on Thursday, Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Duhig alleged the man filmed one of his assaults and also draped his face in clothing to hide his identity. Police allege he picked the women randomly and fled on foot after each occasion.

“There was (allegedly) a little bit of planning involved, however the selection of the women was random,” he said.

Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Duhig addressing media on Thursday outside Maroochydore Police Station.

Senior Sergeant Duhig said the alleged attacks took place in the late afternoon. He was not known to police.

“Every citizen has the right to walk wherever they like, do their afternoon exercise, let alone women,” he said.

“When women are (allegedly) inappropriately touched in this manner by men in such public places, in such a brazen way, police take it very seriously, hence why efforts were made to locate the person as quick as we could.”

The senior detective said police alleged they located the right person who “co-operated fully”, with the 20-year-old allegedly giving details of people he had interactions with him along with more possible witnesses.

Senior Sergeant Duhig said one of the alleged incidents was captured on CCTV at a residence which led to his identification.

“This type of random incident in daylight hours is very rare,” he said.

“(The women) were very shaken up because the incidents took place from behind, they had no indication of what was going to happen.

“They were obviously going about their business, exercising [on] the same routes they had been taking regularly and for this to (allegedly) happen was quite alarming for them.”

Police are appealing to anyone with further information or anyone who has witnessed similar incidents to contact police.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink. 

Originally published as Mountain Creek man charged with sexual assaults of women exercising