Girls’phone terror

KIM WATERS
A CONVICTED sex creep stalked three young girls after seeing them in a Geelong newspaper, a court heard this week.
But a suppression order has prevented the media identifying him or his whereabouts.
Detective Senior Constable Amanda Evans told Geelong Magistrates Court parents of a young girl contacted police on June 18 after a man calling himself Peter Gray phoned their daughter.
Snr Const Evans said the man made lewd sexual suggestions.
The girl answered “That’s disgusting” before telling him to “p..s off”.
Snr Const Evans said a second parent called a day later complaining a man phoned his 14-year-old daughter and asked her for “phone sex”.
He mentioned the newspaper article, the court heard.
Police received a third call from a concerned father saying a man had phoned him twice asking to speak with his daughter.
All three girls appeared in the same article with their full names and suburbs, Snr Const Evans said.
Police identified the alleged caller as a man under a supervision order for prior sexual offences.
Snr Const Evans said police executed a search warrant at his address, seizing three mobile phones and a copy of the newspaper article with a White Pages on a dining room table.
Police charged the man with using a carriage service to offend and stalking.
“This has caused three families extreme apprehension and fear,” Snr Const Evans said.
“These young victims are in fear the accused may attend their address…they’re not allowed to use the phone any more. (It’s) caused a huge upheaval in their lives.”
Snr Const Evans said the accused was a risk of further offending if released on bail.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Peter Beard said the accused had similar prior convictions dating back to 1995 when he called young girls pictured in newspapers to threaten sexual violence.
The accused’s lawyer said his client had “practically no real prospect” of engaging in “any real offending” under his supervision order.
Magistrate Ann McGarvie refused bail.