Ray Carlos Melu granted bail over alleged Mackay park rape charges

A meat worker charged with the alleged rape of a woman in a park has asked for bail, despite an expired visa making him a flight risk.

Ray Carlos Melu was granted bail on strict conditions after allegedly raping a woman twice at a party in Mackay

A former meat worker charged with the alleged rape of a woman in a park in Mackay has been granted bail despite a Magistrate deeming him a flight risk thanks to his expired visa.

Ray Carlos Melu applied for bail in the Mackay Magistrates court on Friday July 18, charged with two counts of rape on a woman in a park in Mackay last year.

The court heard the former meat worker allegedly pushed a woman towards some bushes and put his fingers inside her without consent.

The woman allegedly fell to the ground and was crying before Melu jumped on top of her and penetrated her without consent, the court heard.

Over text messages, the woman told Melu she “can’t forgive” him and to stop contacting her despite having asked for him to call her prior, the court heard.

Melu allegedly texted the woman that he was “sorry for that, I was wrong”.

The woman replied “don’t you know no consent given equals rape”.

Melu responded saying he “understood”, asking the woman for forgiveness, the court heard.

Defence Solicitor Rio Ramos said that her client had no prior history and had apologised to the victim though there may have been a “cultural issue with the breakdown in communication”.

Ms Ramos also alluded to an ambulance report where the officers noted the victim’s versions of events were inconsistent and that they were still awaiting results of a DNA sample.

Melu and his alleged victim had met once prior to the night of the alleged rape.

The Mackay man was committed in May this year and was refused bail as Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan deemed him a “flight risk” due to the fact that he was currently waiting on a bridging visa.

“We basically have an illegal immigrant at the moment,” she said.

Melu was granted bail with the conditions he must report twice weekly, have no contact with the victim, surrender his passport, wear an ankle monitor and he cannot leave Mackay.

Originally published as Ray Carlos Melu granted bail over alleged Mackay park rape charges