The foster brother of slain Queensland schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer has been denied bail for the second time amid allegations of involvement with other underage girls.
Trent Thorburn is being held in jail on charges of incest, perjury and perverting the course of justice following the murder of his 12-year-old foster sister. His father, Rick Thirburn is accused of her murder.
The court heard that police believe the 19-year-old, who was working as a dance teacher, could be at risk of reoffending and that Tiahleigh might not not have been the only underage girl he may have been involved with, reports ABC.
“The respondent points to the fact he is involved in dance classes and would have contact with children ranging in age,” Justice Bond said during the hearing. “Police believe that if the defendant were released on bail he poses an unacceptable risk of offending against other children.
“I do note that there is material exhibited … that suggests the alleged offending between the applicant and an underage girl with Tialeigh is not the first occasion that he may have been involved in that conduct.”
“It is the apparent revelation of that relationship to the family that is said to be the instigating factor to the alleged murder of Tiahleigh by the applicant’s father,” he added according to the Courier Mail.
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Despite having his bail denied, Trent Thorburn’s defence barrister Catherine Morgan believes they have a “strong” case.
“In essence this young man engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a very young girl and then events which were outside his control occurred and he was untruthful it’s alleged, with the full knowledge that he was being untruthful,” Ms Morgan told the court.
“There is no suggestion that the applicant was the instigator of a plan to as it were pervert the course of justice, indeed it would seem that that was instigated by another or others.”
