The lawyer for four people charged with the alleged sadistic physical and sexual abuse of three boys at a circus training school has told a court they all say “we didn’t do it.”
Three women and a man will face 69 charges relating to the alleged ongoing abuse of the boys, who were all under eight years old and connected to the school, between 2014 and 2016.
The four accused are linked to a circus school in Katoomba, around 62 miles west of Sydney in the New South Wales Blue Mountains.
Solicitor Bryan Wrench appeared on behalf of the arrested three women aged 58, 29 and 26 and a 52-year-old man at the Penrith Local Court this afternoon.
He told Magistrate Stephen Corry all the accused would plead not guilty to all charges.
“My first application today is that I would like it specifically noted that we are entering pleas of not guilty for all sequences, in all matters,” Wrench said.
“They simply say we didn’t do it and there’s another side to the story [presented] by police and the media.”
The accused had been aware of the police investigation since September last year.
None of them were required to be brought into court.
No application for bail was made and they were remanded in custody until a bail allocation on February 16.
They were all granted interim name suppression until News Corporation and other media organizations can be heard on the suppression order tomorrow.
Police will allege the abuse by some members of the group included “rituals,” The Daily Telegraph reports.
The circus training school offers all ages classes in juggling, aerial skills, acrobatics and unicycle riding and describes itself online as “a family-friendly environment.”
Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad established Strike Force Baillieu in July last year to investigate the reports. As a result of these extensive investigations, police arrested four people at various homes in Katoomba, Canterbury and Wentworthville on Monday.
The arrested people are all linked to the Blue Mountains-based circus group, which promotes itself as an “all abilities community circus.”
It boasted online of its programs for a wide range of young people — and offering “one on one” tuition.
“The class sizes are smaller than usual so one on one training can still be provided to every student throughout the lesson,” reads the website. “All students are treated as equals and every student will feel welcome from their first day.”
The 58-year-old woman has been charged with 43 offenses, including aggravated sexual assault of a child under 10, sexual intercourse with a child under 10 and aggravated kidnapping. Court listings show an Apprehended Violence Order (a type of restraining order to protect victims of domestic violence) against her has also been sought on behalf of a minor.
On its Facebook site, the circus describes its origins as a “somewhat chaotic and messy living room, in Katoomba. Furniture was pushed out of the way for circus training, spills and tumbles. Love of circus flourished.”
It said the circus school “acknowledges and celebrates the many diverse ways of being and creates a supportive space for all to explore the circus arts [and] offers the opportunity to learn and master circus skills in an environment balanced with circus fun and discipline.”
It invited new members to join with them on their “curious circus journey.”
The charges
- A 26-year-old Katoomba woman was charged with 13 offenses, including aggravated sex assault in company and detain for advantage. She was refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court today.
- A 29-year Canterbury woman was charged with five counts of aggravated sexual assault in company deprive liberty, and three counts of common assault. She was refused bail to appear at Burwood Local Court today.
- A 52-year-old Katoomba man was charged three counts of aggravated sexual assault in company (child under 10), male child abuse material and use child under 14 to make child abuse material. He was refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court today.
- A 58-year-old Katoomba woman was charged with 43 offenses, including aggravated sexual assault of a child under 10, have sexual intercourse with a child under 10 and aggravated kidnapping. She was refused bail to appear at Penrith Local Court today.
Calls to the circus school went unanswered today.