Wesley Shane Oliver: Geraldton man refused bail after allegedly luring six-year-old girl into men’s toilet

A Geraldton man who allegedly lured a six-year-old girl into a men’s public bathroom has had his bail denied.

Wesley Shane Oliver appeared in the Geraldton Magistrates Court this week via video link requesting bail to stay at his mother’s home.

Police allege the 30-year-old man was drinking on the Geraldton foreshore path with some friends on October 7 last year when he allegedly began to follow a young girl who had walked away from her father at 4.50pm.

Mr Oliver allegedly followed the six-year-old into a playground and asked her to come into the men’s toilet.

He allegedly pushed her into a stall but she managed to escape and run away to her father.

Police said she was in the bathroom for 30 seconds.

“Her father said a man has touched her, pulled her dress,” Mr Oliver’s lawyer told the court.

The lawyer said Mr Oliver claimed to have no recollection of the events as he was intoxicated.

CCTV footage placed Mr Oliver at the foreshore but there was no footage of the alleged offences.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Dean Solman strongly opposed bail, claiming Mr Oliver had a history of not attending court.

Magistrate Angus Hockton said “this is a very serious offence and if convicted then prison time would be imposed”.

“There is a circumstantial case like most cases and this is a strong circumstance,” he said.

Mr Oliver’s lawyer asked for bail with restrictions on drinking but Mr Hockton said bail was not appropriate in this case.

“I am not satisfied that I can impose conditions that would protect the community,” he said.

“That causes me concern as to what danger he would put the community in.”

Bail was refused and Mr Oliver will reappear in court on June 22.