Man accused of sexually assaulting women at Novotel and Wollongong bar

A Port Kembla man accused of sexually assaulting a young woman in a hotel room allegedly committed a similar crime against another 16 months later in the disabled toilet of a busy Wollongong bar.

Steve Dimeski faced Wollongong District Court for the first day of his trial on Monday, February 26.

The 24-year-old confirmed not guilty pleas to nine charges, including three counts of sexual intercourse without consent, related to two alleged incidents against two women.

The complainants do not know each other.

Crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay outlined the allegations and pointed to similarities between the incidents, accusing Dimeski of seeking young women on nights out in Wollongong.

Dimeski was allegedly out with a friend at Bevanda Bar in Globe Lane when he began talking to a young woman who was visiting Wollongong in June 2022.

It's alleged the pair kissed briefly, before Dimeski led the woman to the back of the venue and into the disabled toilet.

The woman's friend texted her, asking if she was okay, which allegedly caused Dimeski to become "aggressive".

He allegedly told the woman to tell her friend she was fine, before he took the phone off of her.

Dimeski then allegedly pulled the woman's pants down, moved her underwear to the side, and penetrated her with his finger without consent.

The Crown will allege he turned the woman's body around and forced her hands onto the disabled toilet rails, before he again penetrated her with his finger, despite her calls for him to stop.

It's further alleged Dimeski then pushed the woman to the ground and forced her to perform oral sex, while she resisted by pushing him.

Security guards then came to the toilet door, with Dimeski allegedly pulling up his pants and telling the woman "he would deal with it".

He then allegedly returned to the woman and attempted to rape her with his penis. The woman's friends outside allegedly called for someone to "get a coin and open the door".

The Crown alleges Dimeski told the complainant "don't open the f---ing door" before he masturbated until he ejaculated into the toilet.

It's alleged he then told the woman: "Nothing happened". The woman's friends allegedly saw her crying when she came outside.

She immediately left the bar and reported the incident to nearby police who were patrolling the area. Officers located Dimeski and obtained his identification.

The woman went to hospital where she received a sexual assault examination.

Sixteen months earlier, in 2021, Dimeski allegedly exchanged Snapchat details with a young woman he met while she was out with friends at Mr Crown.

The woman and her friends went back to their Novotel hotel room, where the woman allegedly sent Dimeski a message, telling him her room number and that she wanted McDonald's.

The woman allegedly fell asleep, then woke up to find Dimeski in bed, spooning her from behind. It's alleged she said "no, no" and pushed him away as he tried to kiss her.

"You're just being cheeky, shut up," Dimeski allegedly said, before he is accused of getting on top of the woman and touching her breasts over her pyjama shirt.

Ms Keay said the woman was inhibited from moving away by Dimeski's force, saying "she felt terrified".

He allegedly took his pants off and penetrated the woman with his finger as she continued to protest. The woman allegedly tried to grab her phone, however, Dimeski is accused of pulling it away from her.

Dimeski allegedly answered the woman's phone when it started ringing, asking "Who is this?"

The woman then allegedly grabbed her phone and ran to the hotel reception.

It's alleged she sought help from staff who allowed her to hide behind the counter for over an hour, where she allegedly texted her friends for help.

Staff arranged for the woman to stay in another room. The next day, she attended hospital and received a sexual assault examination.

Defence barrister Rob Steward said Dimeski denied all charges laid against him, arguing the incident in the bar toilet was consensual, and that some of the alleged acts didn't happen.

As for the other incident, Mr Steward argued Dimeski was at the hotel momentarily that evening, however, wasn't there during the time of the allegations.

He urged jurors to keep an open mind for the duration of the trial.