A 22-year-old man has been charged following an investigation by Child Abuse Squad detectives into the alleged sexual assault of a girl in the Hunter region earlier this month.
On Wednesday 14 May 2025, a 14-year-old girl added a man previously unknown to her to a list of friends on a social media account. The man told the girl he was aged 17.
The following day, the 14-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl met with the man on the Central Coast.
It is alleged that over the following days, the man sexually assaulted the younger girl and later prevented both girls from leaving their location.
About 7.00pm on Monday 19 May 2025, officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District attended a house in the Hunter Valley area to check on the welfare of the two girls. Police then arrested the 22-year-old man at the home.
He was taken to Singleton Police Station.
Following a coordinated response by detectives from State Crime Command's Newcastle Child Abuse Squad and Hunter Valley Police District, the man was charged with aggravated sexual assault – victim under the age of 16, aggravated sexual assault – inflict actual bodily harm on victim, take person intend commit serious indictable offence and intentionally sexually touch child between the ages of 10 and 16.
The man was refused bail and appear before Cessnock Local Court today (Tuesday 20 May 2025), where he was further refused bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday 16 July 2025.
