11 Jan 2023

Australian faces child sex charges over alleged NZ offences

3:58 pm on 11 January 2023
An Australian Federal Police car

Photo: 123RF

A man is due to appear in an Australian court later this month charged with alleged historical child sex offences in Brisbane, Africa and New Zealand.

Queensland police on Wednesday said he is charged in relation to alleged offences between 2014 and 2019.

On 6 January, detectives executed a search warrant at a suburban Brisbane address and took a 35-year-old man into custody without incident.

It is alleged the man sexually assaulted a number of teenage boys over a five-year period when he was a secondary school teacher, youth group leader and sports facilitator across the Brisbane suburbs of Toowong, Mount Tamborine, Pullenvale, Darra and Dakabin.

Officers allege the overseas offending involved his same victims when they travelled with the man as part of youth groups to New Zealand and Africa.

The man has been charged with 11 offences, including three counts each of sexual activity (person outside of Australia when in a position of trust or authority) and sexual assault, and five counts of indecent treatment.

The man appeared in court on 7 January and was remanded into custody. He will next appear on 20 January.

Investigations remain ongoing, with Queensland detectives appealing for anyone with information which may assist investigations to contact them.