Andrew James Grant accused of stalking ‘had a muzzle and rope’

A father-to-be accused of flashing women jogging on Sydney’s Bay Run has been refused bail over fears he would not be able to control his urges if released.

Andrew James Grant, 28, appeared via video link in Sydney’s Central Local Court on Friday when magistrate Les Mabbett was told police found a bag at his home containing rope, a balaclava and a muzzle.

Grant, who lives with his partner who’s expecting a baby in July, is charged with a string of offences, including stalking, relating to six women over 17 days. 

Police previously released an image of a man they believe could be able to assist them as investigations continue into the indecent assault of three women on the Bay Run.

The man, described as having buck-teeth, is accused by police of exposing himself to women and five stalking charges.

The charges relate to offences dating between January 31 and February 17.

In a previous statement, New South Wales Police said: ‘It will be alleged that in January and February 2018, a man approached a number of women in the vicinity of the Glover Street Sports Ground, Lilyfield, and indecently exposed himself.’

Following inquiries by officers from the Leichhardt area command, a man was arrested at a house in Freshwater on Sydney’s north shore.

Police said they had received a good number of calls following public appeals and information in the media throughout February, Seven reported.

The man was held at Chatswood Police Station and was refused bail to appear before magistrates.

Police said they charged the suspect with five counts of stalk/intimidation, two of behave in an offensive manner in/near a public place, two more of assault with act of indecency and one charge of willful and obscene exposure in/near public place.

Earlier, police had released appeals after three women were indecently assaulted as officers asked for witnesses to help with their investigation.

All three reported incidents took place on or near the Bay Run and all the women approached were in their mind to late 20s. 

All three reported incidents took place on or near the Bay Run and all the women approached were in their mind to late 20s. 

The first incident happened on the morning of January 31 when a 27-year-old woman finished the run and returned to her car when a man approached her.

The man then allegedly exposed himself to her.

Then on February 2 about 9.30am, a similar time to the first incident, an unknown man on a yellow bicycle approached a 27-year-old woman on the run.

He approached her between the reception venue and the rowing club in Leichhardt.

The man dumped the bicycle and fled the area, before the woman called for help from another passerby. 

Then about 6.20pm on February 17, a 27-year-old woman approached a man who was walking his dog near Glover Street Sports Ground in Lilyfield.

After a public appeal was put out by police the woman came forward and reported the incident, telling officers she’d been indecently assaulted.

Police said the incidents all happened around the Bay Run area of Sydney's inner west

Police said the incidents all happened around the Bay Run area of Sydney’s inner west

The Leichhardt Police Area Command released an image of a man they believed could help with their inquiries.

He was described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged between 20 to 30 years, about 180cm tall, with short, cropped hair and brown eyes.

The man also has prominent front teeth and tattoos on most of his left arm.

Police also released the image on their Facebook page in the hope of tracking the man down.

One Facebook user commented that the bike the man was on may have been a city share bike.

‘If he was on a yellow hire bike isn’t there a record against credit card use on bikes hired to the point he dumped it?’ he wrote. 

Another said he would keep an eye out on the run.  

‘Just a thought, did police fingerprint, DNA sample the bike he dumped?’ 

Detectives have appealed to anyone with information that hasn’t yet spoken with police to come forward to Leichhardt Police on (02) 9552 8099.

 

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