A miner accused of being involved in a plan to drug and rape teen girls at "band camp" parties two decades ago has been released on bail, despite the magistrate describing the allegations as "the worst I've seen in a long time".
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"This is the sort of stuff horror movies are made of," Magistrate Claire Girotto said.
Michael Trajanovski, 46, dialled into Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday. He wiped away tears after being granted bail two months after his arrest in March.
The Barrack Heights father is yet to enter pleas to detaining a person with intent to obtain an advantage and three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a victim under 16.
Police will allege Trajanovski and co-accused Goce Prculovski, 53, held gatherings they called "band camp" at motels, caravan parks and cabins across the Illawarra in 2004.
It's alleged the pair gave school-aged girls meth and groomed them for sex, according to tendered court documents.
Following an extensive investigation, it's alleged Prculovski was the head of the syndicate, with one woman claiming he tasked her to recruit teen girls and bring them to the "camp".
A woman told police she was 15 when a school friend introduced her to Prculovski when he was 34, and Trajanovski, 25, at a Corrimal home while the girls were in their uniforms in 2004.
Prculovski allegedly taught her how to inhale meth and referred to her as "my orchi girl" which she was told was Macedonian for "beautiful eyes".
Police will allege the girl attended the gatherings over the ensuing months, where she was forced to take drugs and have sex with Prculovski and perform oral sex on Trajanovski.
On one occasion, Prculovski allegedly told the girl she would be like a "tennis ball" and go back and forth between him and Trajanovski.
Police will allege the girl was at Corrimal Beach Tourist Park with the pair, and a number of unknown, people during a "band camp" gathering.
During the evening, it's alleged Trajanovski locked the door and blocked it with a mattress before forcing the girl to perform oral sex on him, followed by further acts of sexual intercourse.
Afterwards, an argument allegedly broke out between Trajanovski and Prculovski which led to a rift, also ending the contact between Trajanovski and the minor.
In late 2023, the woman covertly recorded a conversation with Prculovski at his address in which he allegedly apologised "for anything I have done wrong".
"What about Traj had me locked in the room for five hours ... you got angry at him," the woman allegedly said, to which Prculovski allegedly replied, "He shouldn't have done that".
Defence barrister Edward Anderson said there were new circumstances that warranted a fresh application for release and tendered a thick pile of supporting documents.
He said Trajanovski was the breadwinner of the family and provided pay slips revealing their financial situation, arguing Trajanovski needed to be at liberty to support them.
Mr Anderson said Trajanovski's relatives could increase the bail surety to $100,000, arguing the case against him was weak due to it coming from a "single uncorroborated witness".
The magistrate ultimately decided to grant bail due to the matter being historic and Trajanovski having no prior criminal history, but issued a stern warning.
"He's got no criminal history but these are extremely, extremely serious allegations, they're probably the worst I've seen in a long time," she said.
"You need to follow this bail to the letter, otherwise you will go straight back in."
Ten of Trajanovski's relatives were present in the courtroom and were seen wiping away tears throughout the lengthy hearing.
Trajanovski was ordered to abide by strict conditions including to not leave his Barrack Heights address unless for work or if he is in the company of his wife or parents.
He must surrender his passport and report to police daily. The matter was adjourned to July.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
