Prosecutors seek advice in high-profile rape case
A high-profile man accused of rape cannot be identified when a Queensland law change takes effect. Photo: AAP
The prosecutors in the case of a high-profile man accused of rape in Queensland will seek advice on providing him copies of a medical report linked to the alleged victim.
Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday briefly heard the case for a fifth time as part of the process to decide whether the accused man will be committed to stand trial.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faces two charges of raping a woman in October 2021.
Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald told the hearing that both parties sought a further adjournment of four weeks.
“There has been some material disclosed to (the defence) recently regarding their disclosure request for a phone download and I understand further instructions need to be taken on that matter,” Ms Friedewald said.
The court heard last month that the defendant’s solicitors had sought to view material taken from the alleged victim’s phone.
Magistrate Louise Shepherd asked Ms Friedewald if material obtained from the phone via the Cellebrite forensic system had been provided to the defence.
“Portions of the Cellebrite have been disclosed,” Ms Friedewald said.
The accused man has been granted bail and was excused from attending court.
His solicitor Rowan King, appearing by phone, said he agreed with the four-week adjournment and the other outstanding matter was a request for a report from a forensic medical officer.
“I understand there had been a delay that is out of the hands of (the prosecutor’s) office,” Mr King said.
Ms Friedewald said she had asked for the material to be provided within three to four weeks but had yet to receive confirmation.
“I have arranged with the assigned doctor this afternoon to obtain further information,” she said.
Crown prosecutor Sally Dreghorn told the court last month that she had been working with police to determine whether any parts of the medical report might be deemed “sensitive evidence”.
Ms Dreghorn has also told the court the medical report could be affected by information retrieved from the alleged victim’s phone.
Ms Shepherd adjourned the committal hearing to July 26.
– AAP