Martin Klaver, 44, of Shepparton, successfully applied for bail in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court.
Among his charges are supplying a drug to a child under 18 years, stalking, grooming a child under 16 years for a sexual offence, two counts of encouraging a child under 16 years to engage in sex, committing an indictable offence while on bail and six counts of contravening a bail condition.
Shepparton Police Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team Detective Senior Constable Elisha Basse told the court the 15-year-old Shepparton girl told police on August 13 that Mr Klaver was “harassing her” daily with text messages.
He continued to send more messages, including 25 between September 19 and November 14.
The court heard messages included ones from him requesting oral sex from her to pay for drugs, Det Sen Constable Basse said.
The police officer said police believed Mr Klaver was an unacceptable risk as he had made threats to run over the girl and made several requests for oral sex, and had a “complete disregard for court orders”.
“Police believe his behaviour will escalate,” Det Sen Constable Basse said.
Mr Klaver’s solicitor Ian Michaelson said his client denied the charges and Mr Michaelson asked the magistrate to take into account the “significant delay” for matters coming before the County Court.
After an initial bail address at a friend’s house was rejected by police, Mr Klaver’s solicitor Ian Michaelson told the court his client could be bailed to stay with a relative in Langwarrin, which was “well away from the Goulburn Valley”.
Magistrate David Faram said while the charges were serious and the prosecution case was strong, he was concerned about the “significant delay” of “12 months or more” before the matter would go to trial.
Mr Klaver was bailed on conditions including that he live in Langwarrin, he not go to the Goulburn Valley unless it is for court or to see his legal representatives and that he give police notice before he does come, and that he only use one mobile phone and provide the phone number to the police informant and provide access to it at any time it is requested by police.
Mr Klaver also has to abide by a 10pm to 6am curfew, not contact witnesses for the prosecution and not leave Victoria.
He will next appear in court in February.
