A LATROBE Valley man has been remanded in custody after being charged with 12 sexual offences.
The charges relate to alleged incidents in the Valley earlier this year, in 2012 and 2006, including four charges of sexual penetration with a child under 16.
Morwell Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team Detective Senior Constable Martin Tullett told the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Monday there were three complainants, now aged 18, 15 and 14 years, two of whom are sisters.
He said the accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had a long history in the complainants’ lives and had developed an intimate relationship with their mothers, while there was “no father on the scene”.
Det Snr Const Tullett told the court the accused had provided financial assistance, cigarettes, alcohol and phone credit to the complainants.
They watched the court proceedings via videolink, appearing, at times emotional.
The accused has been remanded in custody until 13 November when he will appear in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court for a committal mention.
