An accused participant in a six-hour gang rape has been bailed to home detention but won't be stopped from running his barber shop.
Adam Abdul-Hamid was granted release in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday after a judge found he would not pose an unacceptable risk to the community if released.
The 19-year-old, along with three other teens who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of participating in the six-hour-long sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl at multiple Sydney locations in December 2024.
Justice Hament Dhanji found the prosecution case was relatively strong but the exact nature of Abdul-Hamid's alleged involvement needed to be tried by a jury.
Prosecutors do not allege Abdul-Hamid physically assaulted the woman but say DNA evidence on the car where the assaults took place show his complicity in the acts.
"The crown case cannot be described as uncontestable," Justice Dhanji said on Friday.
The likelihood of a trial not occurring until 2027 was also "particularly acute" when there was no certainty of a conviction, the judge said.
Abdul-Hamid has been in custody since his arrest in June, when he was charged with five counts of aggravated sexual assault in company.
He will remain under house arrest for the duration of his bail.
But an exception was made for him to attend work at the barber shop he runs.
Police say the alleged victim was initially approached by a 16-year-old boy, who she didn't know, at a shopping centre in Liverpool in southwest Sydney on a Sunday evening in December 2024.
The boy allegedly asked to be driven to a park at a nearby suburb, which the girl agreed to on the understanding he would get out of the car.
At the park, two other males got into the car and allegedly joined in sexually assaulting her.
A fourth male arrived in another car and the assaults continued as the girl was driven around for six hours, detectives allege.
During the alleged assault, Abdul-Hamid was allegedly asked "do you want to have a turn?", according to a police facts sheet presented to the court.
"No, I'm all right," he allegedly replied.
Abdul-Hamid will return to Campbelltown Local Court on October 8.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
