Three women accused of being part of a circus school child abuse ring have been granted bail.
The women appeared at the NSW Supreme Court via video on Thursday and were told their bail application was accepted following a six-month lock up at Silverwater Women’s Correctional Centre, Daily Telegraph reported.
Therese Ann Cook, 59, and her daughters Yyani Cook-Williams, 29, and Clarissa Meredith, 24, who are all part of a Blue Mountains circus group, pleaded not guilty to allegations of kidnapping, assaulting and filming sadistic rape of young boys.
Clarissa Meredith, 24, cried when her bail was approved. She has been accused of allegedly being part of a circus school child abuse ring
Yyani-Rose Cook-Williams, 29, appeared in court on Thursday via video and was granted bail
Therese Ann Cook, 59, is also accused of being part of the alleged circus school child abuse ring
The court heard other allegations also involved ‘blood rituals’, ‘a needle stuck in a boy’s eye, a child being lifted off the ground by his genitalia, and a tongue-biting accident, The Australian reported.
The allegations occurred between 2014 and 2016 towards children under the age of eight, and even one alleged victim who was only three-years-old.
Justice Lucy McCallum said: ‘My experience of the criminal justice system is bizarre allegations are often every bit as true as they are bizarre’.
The court heard other allegations also involved ‘blood rituals’, ‘a needle stuck in a boy’s eye, a child being lifted off the ground by his genitalia, and a tongue-biting accident (pictured the circus school)
The only reason their bail was approved was because they had no prior convictions.
Meredith cried when the bail was approved and the announcement was welcomed with loud cheers and clapping from the court room.
Investigations began in 2017, when boys explained what had allegedly happened, leading to the establishment of Strike Force Baillieu.
So far seven people have been charged over the allegations and will face Penrith Local Court and a children’s court on Friday.
The only reason their bail was approved was because they had no prior convictions (pictured the circus school)
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