A long-serving New Zealand police officer who has denied the indecent assault of a teenager at a national football tournament's "team building activities" can fly home.
David Brooke, 66, was visiting the ACT from Auckland to work as a senior referee and mentor at the Kanga Cup when the alleged act occurred on July 1, two days before play officially began.
Brooke faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday, when he pleaded not guilty to an act of indecency on a young person under special care.
He was granted bail last week as long as he resided in the ACT but has successfully varied that condition, allowing him to return to New Zealand.
Magistrate Glenn Theakston granted the bail variation on the condition Brooke offered a $30,0000 "promise to pay" surety if he failed to appear in accordance with the undertaking.
Police documents tendered to the court state that Brooke was one of three adults leading a group aged between 13 and 23 at the Braddon pre-tournament meet-up for a scavenger hunt-style activity.
During one activity, Brooke is accused of "aggressively" picking up the alleged victim, the only girl in the group, from the front and squeezing her breasts in the process.
Police claim the man had a "demanding and authoritative tone" and the alleged victim attempted to pull away but was unable to react in time.
The teenager allegedly looked "uneasy" after the interaction but claimed she was "fine" to other supervising adults.
"[The alleged victim] has subsequently told police this was because she didn't know how to react and felt intimidated by the defendant's position of power and authority within the group," police documents said.
Later at an Australian Institute of Sport pool, Brooke is said to have made the alleged victim "extremely uncomfortable" when he directed she and another teenage girl to run along the side of the pool and "make the men chase them".
The Canberra Times revealed Brooke was a serving police officer after he was arrested last week but the court heard on Thursday he had been with the service for 31-and-a-half years.
Defence barrister John Purnell SC said New Zealand Police "are aware of the specifics of the charge".
Prosecutor David Leggett opposed the bail variation, citing concerns about the alleged offender returning to the country to face court.
Mr Leggett said there was a "strong prosecution case" against the "serious offence".
Mr Purnell tendered 16 affidavits "saying [Brooke is] going to come back" and described prosecution concerns as "mumbo jumbo speculation".
"Let's be fair, they are real concerns," magistrate Glenn Theakston responded.
Mr Purnell questioned the need for the large surety but ultimately accepted the condition.
"If he attends court, the promise means nothing," Mr Theakston said.
The prosecution also had initial concerns about the difficulty of a possible extradition but this was later withdrawn.
Assistant commissioner Sam Hoyle confirmed New Zealand Police were aware of Brooke's criminal proceedings.
"The alleged offending has occurred in an international jurisdiction, while the staff member was on leave, but New Zealand Police will carry out an employment process into this matter in due course," he said.
The magistrate ordered Brooke's passport be released from the court registry and excused the man from attending future pre-hearing mentions in person, the first of which is set for September 21.
The Kanga Cup, held annually in Canberra, is billed as the "largest international youth football tournament in the southern hemisphere".
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