Bail denied for alleged child sex offender

Karratha Magistrate’s Court has denied bail to a Pilbara man charged with five child sex offences.

Daniel Outram, 20, is being held in remand at Roebourne Regional Prison charged with three counts of using electronic communication intending to procure a person younger than 16 to engage in sexual activity, one count of distributing child exploitation material, and one count of being a child sex offender near a public place, as well as failing to comply with reporting obligations.

Last week in the magistrate’s court his lawyer applied for bail, on the condition Mr Outram stay with his father in Westdale and report to local police every day, accompanied by a family member.

Police prosecutor John Hart opposed the application, saying further charges of the same nature could soon be laid by West Pilbara detectives working on the case.

He told the court Mr Outram was staying with a family in Exmouth last year when police seized his mobile phone as part of an unrelated investigation and allegedly found child exploitation material on it.

When the phone was subjected to forensic download, hundreds of images were allegedly found.

Detectives are working to identify the children allegedly featured in them.

It is also alleged Mr Outram sent text messages of a sexual nature to a 15-year-old boy in October.

Magistrate Robert Young refused bail because of the possible further charges against Mr Outram and the risk of him offending in the community.

The accused has been remanded in custody until his next court date.