The ACT Children's Court has granted bail to a 27-year-old from Sydney who is facing 72 charges related to alleged incest with two young siblings.
The following story contains content about alleged child sex offences and incest that some readers may find distressing.
The transgender woman, who was male at the time of the alleged offending, has entered pleas of not guilty.
The charges include incest, assault, choking, sexual assault and acts of indecency.
The prosecution told the court the two young girls were aged between five and 12, and were assaulted over seven years until 2013 when the defendant was confronted by their father and left the home.
The court heard it is alleged the girls were choked, and one of them had her head held under water, to ensure they didn't tell anyone about the offences.
The court heard other threats were allegedly made about the family pets.
The prosecution said the woman should not get bail because of the risk she may approach or try to intimidate the victims and interfere with evidence.
But the woman's lawyer told the court that would be unlikely given she has not approached the family for nearly a decade, and could be released on bail on strict conditions.
Magistrate Jane Campbell agreed.
"She has been on notice since the allegation was made in 2013," Magistrate Campbell said.
"She has had no contact with the family since that time.
"Yes, violence was used to maintain [their] silence."
But Magistrate Campbell noted there was no evidence the woman had engaged in any other violence since she left Canberra.
The court also considered how the woman's health would be managed at Canberra's jail, the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC).
Magistrate Campbell said the arrangements were not suitable.
"To my grand astonishment I am told she would be held in the male section of the AMC and that would clearly not be in the interests of a person who identifies as a woman." Magistrate Campbell said.
The woman has been released on strict conditions.
The case will be back in court in November.
