An Illawarra delivery driver accused of molesting his young step-daughter has been granted bail to stay with his cousin at a home less than two kilometres from where his alleged victim lives.
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The 53-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is facing charges of aggravated sexual intercourse with a child and intentionally sexually touching a child stemming from allegations he touched the girl's "private parts" on two occasions when they were alone together.
Documents tendered to Wollongong Local Court this week said detectives from the Illawarra Child Abuse Unit interviewed the girl in June after receiving a sexual assault disclosure report.
She told police "my step-father's been touching my private parts", before going on to recount two alleged acts of sexual molestation.
She said she was home alone with her step-father one day when he came into her bedroom, shut the door behind him and climbed onto the bed next to her.
He allegedly put his hand in the girl's pants and inserted his finger into her "private parts", which she identified as her vagina.
She told police he eventually stopped and left the room as she lay on the bed crying.
She said she didn't disclose the incident to anyone.
Meanwhile, the girl recounted another alleged act of abuse that she said occurred sometime between November 2019 and June 2020 while she and her step-father were in the car going to pick up takeaway food.
It is alleged the man put his hand down the front of her pants and touched her vagina while telling her "this is what I want to do to your mother but she wont let me".
She told him to stop and he allegedly yelled "fine" and pulled his hand away.
The girl told police her step-father had been molesting her about once a week for a few years, often after he'd consumed alcohol.
She said after the first incident, he allegedly told her "don't tell anyone, pinky promise you wont. You don't want me to go the jail".
The man was arrested on June 24. He denied the allegations when interviewed by police, saying he'd never touched any of his kids inappropriately.
Magistrate Claire Girotto agreed to release the man on strict conditional bail despite opposition by police due to the close proximity between his nominated address and the alleged victim's home.
The man is prohibited from leaving the house unless accompanied by his cousin under the terms of his bail, and she must drive him to the police station daily to report.
He is also banned from having contact with anyone under the age of 18.
The case will return to court next month.
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