A MAN has been released on $1 million bail accused of the historical sexual assault of two women then knocking on the door of one alleged victim's home almost 30 years later.
Shannon George Roberts was supported by family in Wyong Local Court on Friday when he was released from custody on strict conditions.
The now 52-year-old spent 10 days behind bars after he was arrested at Morriset and charged with allegations relating to two women in 1996 and 1997, and stalking or intimidating one of them in February this year.
Roberts faced a bail hearing on March 22, which involved a detective giving evidence and dashcam footage being played to the court.
The prosecution opposed Roberts' release, arguing he was a flight risk due to his family owning multiple properties and his father living overseas, and that he could endanger the community.
The police argued there was no realistic possibility of a "concoction" between the two women.
The court heard the Crown relied on some of Roberts' recent alleged behaviour - including going to one of the complainant's homes on the Central Coast and walking down her driveway - to show he may interfere with witnesses.
"It is very difficult to understand ... why the accused would have been attending upon her house on that occasion," magistrate Robert Munro said.
Mr Munro said the Crown did not have forensic evidence and that he expected there to be some issues with memory relating to the allegations stemming from 1996 and 1997.
He said he had assessed the prosecution case as "reasonably strong" for historic sexual assault matters.
Mr Munro accepted defence lawyer Bryan Wrench's submissions that Roberts would likely not face a trial until late next year, that he could not access medication he had been prescribed in custody, and that the family business he worked for could fold while he was in jail.
Mr Wrench said the allegations against Roberts were serious, but he denied them.
Mr Munro granted bail, finding the risk was not unacceptable, on strict conditions including that he live at a Lake Macquarie address under house arrest unless in the company of specific people and report to police daily.
Mr Munro ordered $1 million be deposited as security.
Police allege that in 1996, a woman in her 30s was at home in Lake Munmorah when Roberts entered the home and sexually assaulted her before fleeing.
The prosecution case is that the woman was at the home on February 27 when she answered a knock on the door by a man, the two spoke briefly, and he left. Police allege it was the same man that attacked her in 1996.
An investigation by Tuggerah Lakes Police led to the arrest of Roberts on March 12.
He faces a string of charges, including aggravated break-and-enter and inflict actual bodily harm, and inflict actual bodily harm with intent to have intercourse.
He also faces three counts of stalking or intimidating, two counts of assault with act of indecency, aggravated break-and-enter with people there, and entering a building with intent.
He has not yet been required to enter pleas and the case was adjourned to Wyong Local Court in May.
