A Lake Macquarie man, 25, accused of drugging and having sex with a 12-year-old girl over a four-day period in September last year has been granted conditional bail in Wyong Local Court.
Joshua Pettersen appeared in court on Friday charged with seven counts of having sexual intercourse with a child aged between 10 and 14, which carries a maximum of 16 years in jail.
He did not enter any pleas, but applied for bail with his solicitor telling Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis that Mr Pettersen potentially had a defence of honest and reasonable mistake available to him given a text message exchange he had with the alleged victim.
Prosecutors had opposed bail due to what they claim is a strong police case, including some alleged admissions made by Mr Pettersen after his arrest.
Ms Ellis granted Mr Pettersen bail on a number of strict conditions, including that he live at a home in Wyee, abide by a curfew, not consume drugs or alcohol, not contact the alleged victim and that someone agreed to post a $5000 surety.
The matter was adjourned until September 8.
Police allege Mr Pettersen, then aged 24, met up with three girls, including the alleged victim, and they used drugs before he allegedly had sex with the 12-year-old girl.
In November detectives from the State Crime Command's Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation after receiving reports that the girl had been sexually abused.
And following extensive inquiries, Mr Pettersen was arrested by investigators at Wyong police station on Thursday.
