AN alleged persistent peeping Tom who detectives say exposed himself to a number of women at Singleton Heights over a six-week period earlier this year also allegedly detained and groped a woman pushing a pram along a laneway.
Esera Vaini Felise, now 22, who was living in Oldknow Crescent at Singleton Heights before his arrest, did not appear in Singleton Local Court on Thursday charged with 14 offences, including take or detain a person with intent to commit serious indictable offence, sexually touching a person without consent, carrying out a sexual act with another person without consent and peep or pry.
The alleged offences relate to four women who Mr Felise allegedly exposed himself to, masturbated in front of or groped at Singleton Heights between April 4 and May 16 this year.
Mr Felise was arrested at a workplace at Singleton on June 9 and initially charged with two offences. But a week later Strike Force Redfa detectives had laid another 12 charges after raiding Mr Felise's house and seizing clothing. Mr Felise, who the court heard requires a Samoan interpreter, remains behind bars and will next appear in Newcastle Local Court in October.
According to court documents, a woman was at a home on Wilcox Avenue at Singleton Heights about 7pm on April 4 when she saw a man at the back door committing a sexual act.
The woman slammed the door shut and called police but the man had fled by the time officers arrived.
On the night of April 22, Mr Felise is accused of peeping into a woman's unit in O'Halloran Avenue at Singleton Heights and he allegedly returned again two days later to do the same thing.
On April 24, Mr Felise also allegedly exposed himself and masturbated in front of a woman on an underground walkway near Wilcox Avenue. And then on May 16 Mr Felise is accused of exposing himself, grabbing and groping a woman who was pushing a pram along a walkway off Heather Place.
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