Rinat Ravkatovich Sabitov, pictured with a supporter, gestures at the media after his bail was continued by the ACT Courts on Thursday. Photo: Albert McKnight.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to alleged child abuse.
An ice skating coach accused of sexually assaulting an underage teenager has been handed additional charges and been committed to fight them at trial.
Rinat Ravkatovich Sabitov was arrested last year and accused of using his role as an established ice skating coach in Canberra to gain access to the teen.
He is alleged to have repeatedly indecently or sexually assaulted them around a decade ago when they were aged between 14 and 15.
In addition to the 10 charges he was previously handed, he has now been charged with one count of maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person under special care and an additional count of committing an act of indecency on a young person.
The new charges relate to the same teenager.
In the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday (3 July), the 65-year-old’s lawyer, Asfandyar Shaffi of Andrew Byrnes Law Group, sought a costs order as he said crucial documents had not yet been provided to his defence team.
This included photos obtained when police searched his client’s home.
The prosecutor said a forensic report was outstanding, but the contents of it had been provided to the defence.
Also, he said the photos referred to were duplicates, blurry or deemed irrelevant, but would be provided.
Magistrate James Lawton ultimately said the outstanding material was not enough to delay committal and refused the costs order.
He then committed the matter to the ACT Supreme Court for trial and continued Mr Sabitov’s bail.
The matter will first appear in the higher court on 16 July.
Mr Sabitov has previously indicated not guilty pleas and his original charges were three counts of sexual intercourse with a young person and seven counts of committing an act of indecency on a young person.
If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 02 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT 02 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call Triple Zero.
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