A Queensland farmer, charged with the sexual assault of several backpackers, has been accused of allegedly using "alcohol and plain bullying" to groom young women.
Wayne Robert Green, 52, was on Monday night ordered to stand trial in the District Court over offences including sexual assault, deprivation of liberty, and observation in breach of privacy.
Mr Green was last year also committed to stand trial for rape, after being charged in 2018 as the result of a joint police and Australian Border Force investigation.
It is alleged the offences happened at his rural property near Mondure in Queensland's South Burnett region between 2013 and 2017.
Witnesses including some from the UK and Germany gave evidence via video link during the committal hearing in the Kingaroy Magistrates Court.
One witness said she was scared of Mr Green and found him quite intimidating.
She told the court she was told to sleep in the basement because "I didn't do as I was told".
"He was shouting and swearing … [he said] when I was living in his house, I should live by his rules."
The court heard of an incident where Mr Green walked into a bathroom one of the witnesses was in.
The backpacker said the 52-year-old then asked to see her vagina, but she told him she had her period.
"He was standing beside me, and was saying, 'Come on, show it to me'," the witness said.
"I then showed him my underwear and then he left."
The court heard the witness had done it because she had wanted him to go.
In a separate incident, the court heard that after attending a race meeting, Mr Green stayed in a motel room with two female backpackers.
It is alleged he encouraged the women to remove their bras to make themselves comfortable and shortly after, they got into a "tickling fight".
One witness said she thought it was strange as Mr Green was her boss and they had only known each other for two days.
'We thought it was a joke at first', says witness
The court heard Mr Green had several rules for backpackers staying at his property including requiring them to cook, to wake up at 6am, and to keep doors open.
Defence lawyer Scott Lynch suggested it was due to Mr Green's concerns about people smoking or taking drugs in the house.
But one witness said she found it odd to keep doors open at all times.
The court heard that on at least five occasions, Mr Green walked into the bathroom while women were having a shower.
In one incident, he walked into the bathroom, opened the shower door, and said "not bad" at the witness who was naked having a shower.
The court also head Mr Green made comments about "earning more money" through sexual favours.
"We thought it was a joke at first, but it wasn't always a joke," one witness said.
The witness said while she was out in the paddock, Mr Green offered $10 to touch her breasts and $50 for a sexual act.
Court submissions
In his submission to the court, Mr Lynch said the charges including deprivation of liberty, sexual assault, and observation in breach of privacy should be dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
"Sadly, the common theme was the [women] regretted their actions," Mr Lynch told the court.
But police prosecutor Sergeant Barry Stevens said Mr Green's actions were that of a person who groomed young women who came to Australia.
"He used alcohol, rules, normalisation of sexual encounters and plain bullying," Sergeant Stevens said.
Sergeant Stevens said the women were terrified of Mr Green.
"[One woman] was crying hysterically, every scenario was going through [her] head, was he going to kill [her], was he going to rape [her], was he playing a game?" he said.
"As far she was concerned this was Wolf Creek."
In his decision, Magistrate Andrew Sinclair found there was sufficient evidence for Mr Green to stand trial.
Mr Green did not enter a plea.
The matter will go to trial in the District Court at a date yet to be set.
