A mature-age university student repeatedly touched a schoolgirl on the thigh while masturbating on a Wollongong bus, a court has heard.
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Rowan Nicholas McDonald, 43, was granted strict conditional bail in Wollongong Local Court on Friday after he was arrested on Thursday.
The Wollongong resident has been charged with sexually touching another person without consent and carrying out a sexual act with another person without consent.
In documents tendered to court, police allege McDonald got on a free Wollongong shuttle bus at the university on Wednesday afternoon.
He sat on the same seat as a girl, who was wearing a school uniform, after she had gotten on the bus earlier from a stop in Wollongong.
McDonald sat next to the girl despite there being many vacant seats.
Police allege McDonald seated himself in such a way that his body was "unnecessarily close" to the girl and his left side was pressing against her body and leg.
Police said the girl tried to move away from him and closer to the window, however McDonald allegedly shifted his body closer to her.
During the trip, McDonald allegedly put his right hand onto the girl's left thigh, touching her skin, and started rubbing his groin area with his left hand on the outside of his clothing.
Police allege McDonald was masturbating himself and that his actions went on for some time.
The girl allegedly pushed McDonald's hand off her leg several times however he repeatedly put it back on her thigh.
Police said neither McDonald nor the girl spoke.
The girl reported feeling "extremely uncomfortable and scared" during the alleged incident and "did not know what to do", the court documents said.
The girl stood up to get off the bus while on Crown Street and while McDonald got up, he allegedly kept his arm across the aisle, preventing the girl from walking freely.
The girl allegedly had to bend forward and duck under McDonald's arm to exit her seat.
She got off the bus, as did McDonald, before she walked quickly fearing he would follow her.
The girl reported the alleged incident to her mother then police.
McDonald was arrested at his home on Thursday about 4.30pm before he was taken to Wollongong Police Station and charged.
The alleged incident was captured on the bus' CCTV camera.
In court on Friday, police prosecutor Sergeant Amelia Wall said McDonald was captured on CCTV in the University of Wollongong library earlier on Wednesday and appeared to be fondling himself, with footage allegedly showing his hand in his pants, prior to him getting on the bus.
The court heard McDonald had previously been convicted of two very similar offences.
In 2005, McDonald was convicted of aggravated indecent assault of a 12-year-old child but did not serve any time in prison.
He was placed on the child protection register that expired in 2013.
In 2010, McDonald was also convicted of indecently assaulting a 19-year-old girl.
On both occasions, the assaults occurred on public transport.
In court, Sgt Wall opposed McDonald's bail noting the police case was "strong" and a term of imprisonment was likely if he was convicted.
Magistrate Claire Girotto said the offences were "very serious" and the risk of further offending and endangering the safety of the community were her main concerns.
However, she granted McDonald bail where he will be required to be under house arrest unless in the company of his housemate or aunt.
He cannot contact any female under the age of 18 and an acceptable person must offer $5000 surety.
The case will return to court on March 31.
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