Woman who starred on Ch 7 show faces 80 rape and child abuse charges

A woman who appeared on a Channel 7 TV show is facing almost 80 rape and child abuse charges, court documents reveal. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons after she successfully won her bid to keep her name secret by being granted a non-publication order, was originally charged in August this year with 36 offences, including multiple counts of rape and a raft of serious child abuse allegations. When her matter was briefly mentioned before Richlands Magistrates Court on November 28, the woman’s lawyer was advised she’d been hit with another 38 offences on November 7. A single charge of torture was also laid against the woman on August 30, 2023. Police will allege the single count of torture occurred between 2005 and 2020. The woman’s solicitor, Natasha Shortener, requested an adjournment so she can receive the full brief of evidence for both sets of charges, which is due on December 5. “I have the brief from the first lot of charges,” Ms Shortener said on Tuesday. Court documents reveal the fresh 38 charges include further rape and child abuse charges spanning over several locations across Queensland dating back several years. However, Magistrate Aaron Simpson scrapped a single count of common assault after the court heard on Tuesday police had failed to issue a notice to appear to the woman. Mr Simpson told the court the charge was related to a “completely different complainant” and dated back more than 10 years ago. The woman had previously been granted a non-publication order by Mr Simpson in October, after he found the woman was at risk of harming herself should further media coverage identify her. His ruling came after she attempted to self harm last month, according to court documents. It was one of the first non-publication orders implemented after Queensland’s new sexual offence identification laws were introduced in October. The woman’s matters will return to court on January 23, 2024 for committal mention. She remains on bail and is yet to enter any pleas before the court. The woman’s partner, who also cannot be named, is also facing a string of charges, including torture, common assault, observations or recordings in breach of privacy and assault occasioning bodily harm. Police will further allege those offences occurred over several years. His matters will next be heard on December 18.