A Torbay man facing allegations of sexual violence against three teenage girls has been released on bail.
The distraught parents of both the accused and alleged victims were in the courtroom this morning for the hearing and decision.
Twenty-six-year-old Daniel Richard has been charged with 12 counts involving three girls in their mid-teens. They include four counts each of sexual assault, sexual interference, and invitation to sexual touching.
Daniel Richard, 26, who faces a dozen sexual violence charges against three teenage girls, has been granted bail. Offences are alleged to have occurred on April 29th at a St.John’s hotel. pic.twitter.com/MRnyTxPKdC
— VOCM News (@VOCMNEWS) May 7, 2024
There is a publication ban on evidence presented at a bail hearing, but police have said the incidents are alleged to have occurred at a St. John’s hotel on April 29th and reported the next day.
Richard has been in custody since his arrest last Friday, and was clearly despondent in the prisoner’s docket, both hands grasping his hair as he stared at the floor throughout the bail hearing.
Meanwhile, relatives of the young girls gasped, and some had to leave, as vivid details of the alleged sexual violence were read aloud by the Crown prosecutor and investigating officer.
In the end, Judge Harold Porter, after weighing all the pros, cons and circumstances of the allegations, granted bail with a slew of strict conditions.
Among other rules, Richard must stay at his parents’ home in Torbay, have no contact with any of the girls, follow a curfew, and is banned from all social media platforms. His parents, as sureties, put up several thousand dollars they could lose if their son breaks any of the conditions.
Richard is due back in court on June 12 to enter a plea and choose how he wants to be tried.