Troy Andrew Williams’ bid for bail fails after he was charged with child sex offences

A convicted sex offender who allegedly groomed and sexually abused a 15-year-old boy he met online is behind bars, waiting for results of a DNA test.

A convicted sex offender has been denied home detention bail due to the strength of the case and the risk of reoffending, a court has heard.

Troy Andrew Williams, 49, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday, via video link from custody, where he lost his bid for home detention bail to reside at his parents’ home.

Magistrate Brian Nitschke said Mr Williams was too high a risk to the community to be released.

“It’s not the weakest case that’s ever come before this court,” he said.

“The risk of offending while on bail is significant … (he) has been dealt with in the past for serious sexual offending against teenagers.”

A court previously heard Mr Williams met the 15-year-old alleged victim online and met with him at the end of 2022 in a park where alleged sexual offending took place.

Mr Williams is charged with 10 counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and procuring a child for sexual activity.

The court was told Mr Williams was jailed in 2015 for unlawful sexual intercourse, communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity and possessing child exploitation material.

A court previously heard Mr Williams breached his ANCOR conditions – which he was placed on as a result of the 2015 offending – after he allegedly failed to disclose telephone numbers, social media accounts or dating apps.

Troy Williams was not granted home detention bail.

In 2022 Mr Williams allegedly abused the child on multiple further occasions, including at his own northern suburbs home late at night.

“The complainant gave evidence to the police that there were sexual aids used on him,” the prosecutor said.

The court previously heard sexual aids matching the alleged victim’s description were found at Mr Williams’ house during a search.

“The defendant offends in his own home so even the strictest form of home detention bail … isn’t appropriate,” the prosecutor said.

Timothy Clarke, for Mr Williams, said if strict home detention bail conditions were imposed and his client was forbidden to have access to electronic devices he would not be able to reoffend again.

Mr Nitschke said there was no guarantee this would prevent any reoffending.

“His parents presumably have an internet connection to their house, they presumably have some form of device in their house that can be used to connect to the internet, they presumably have some sort of device of which he might be able to connect with others via some kind of app,” he said.

Prosecution said they were still awaiting DNA evidence but the victim’s phone has been identified as being located near Mr Williams’ home.

“Well I guess his goose will really be cooked if the DNA turns out to be his DNA,” Mr Nitschke responded.

Mr Williams will next appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in April.

Originally published as Troy Andrew Williams’ bid for bail fails after he was charged with child sex offences