A man charged with multiple child sex offences and who allegedly told an 11-year-old "you're my girlfriend now" after an elevator indecent assault, has maintained his innocence.
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Augusto Ricardo Tamayo-del-Solar faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with five counts of committing an act of indecency on a child and two counts of common assault.
The former University of Canberra lecturer appeared via audio-visual link to enter his pleas.
"I've entered pleas of not guilty to all your charges," magistrate James Stewart told the alleged offender.
"Correct," Tamayo-del-Solar responded from the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Police arrested the Peruvian-born man in January, five days after a mother reported Tamayo-del-Solar for allegedly touching her young daughter in the waiting room of a Gungahlin podiatry clinic earlier that month.
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The man is accused of touching the same girl's genitals months prior outside her home when she was aged nine.
He allegedly grabbed the girl's wrist after her protests to the acts, warning her not to tell her mother.
Tamayo-del-Solar is also accused of indecently assaulting the girl's older sister while she was 11 years old in May 2022 in an elevator.
He allegedly touched her and pressed his penis against the girl's vagina after pulling her hair and pressing her against the elevator wall.
Following this, he allegedly told her "you're my girlfriend now" and that he would always be watching her.
He is accused of, again, telling the girl not to tell anyone what had happened.
The man is said to have met his alleged victims through a religious group.
"Thank you very much," Tamayo-del-Solar said on Wednesday while writing down his next court appearance.
The man is set to return to court on June 28.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636.
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Tim Piccione
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
