A worker accused of luring a woman into the back room of an arts supplies shop, preventing her from leaving and raping her, has denied the allegations.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Abhishek Timalsina, 28, of Phillip, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday.
While the details of five new charges were not read out to the court, he pleaded not guilty to those alleged offences.
The new charges were of sexual intercourse without consent, unlawful confinement, and three counts of committing an act of indecency without consent.
Legal Aid lawyer Tamzin Lee entered the pleas on behalf of her client.
Timalsina had previously pleaded not guilty to an additional count of sexual intercourse without consent.
The court heard last year Timalsina was alleged to have raped a woman in the back room of an arts supplies shop, where he worked in the Westfield Belconnen mall, on November 3, 2022.
Timalsina is alleged to have taken photographs of the woman, who was unknown to him prior to the incident, without her knowledge before encouraging her to come to the back room and preventing her from leaving the shop at closing time.
A duty defence lawyer told the court last year Timalsina admitted having sex with the woman and the issue that remained in contention was whether the acts were consensual.
The court heard Timalsina had admitted to police in an interview there had been no verbal consent.
Police retrieved clear closed-circuit television footage from both the shop and the Westfield mall but there had been no video of what occurred in the back room.
It was previously stated Timalsina, who is married, had lived in Australia since 2018 and held a visa that expired next year.
READ ALSO:
Bail was continued with conditions that include a prohibition on Timalsina being at the Westfield Belconnen mall, and requirements he surrender his passports and not leave the ACT for more than 48 hours.
Magistrate James Stewart on Monday committed Timalsina to the ACT Supreme Court for trial.
The case is due to go before a registrar there on March 9.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
