While an accused groper appears in court, police are searching for scores of women who were touched improperly at a Melbourne nightclub.
Between September and October, David Maria Anthony Rayan is said to have touched thirty-three women at a nightclub in Prahran.
According to court documents, the 33-year-old has been accused of more than 70 sex crimes for allegedly touching his victims’ genitalia, breasts, and butts without getting their permission.
In addition, Rayan, a former employee of PwC’s IT department, is charged with kissing his victims on the head, shoulders, and groyne area.
In a brief hearing held today at Melbourne Magistrates Court, prosecutors requested a 12-week period to gather evidence while going through a “large amount” of camera footage.
The police prosecutor stated that the identification scanners at the Chapel Street nightclub were comparing footage from the venue with their database to assist in identifying every casualty.
He added that numerous victims had been recognised by CCTV and had been approached by law enforcement regarding the purported offence.
Police will work with foreign authorities to obtain statements from the foreigners, some of whom have since returned home, he said.
The prosecution informed the court that “a large number of these people are not Australian citizens.”
The prosecution was granted three months by Magistrate Vincenzo Caltabiano to gather their evidence brief. Rayan is still out on bond and is scheduled to appear in court on May 10.
