Dhiren Patel, 32, leaves court after being granted bail on Tuesday. Photo: Albert McKnight.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to alleged sexual abuse.
A court has heard allegations the co-owner and manager of a café sexually assaulted a 15-year-old female employee before buying her emergency contraception.
More allegations have been aired in the case against 32-year-old Dhiren Patel of Gungahlin, before he was released on bail after it was originally refused last week.
It is alleged he gave the girl alcohol in April 2025, then repeatedly sexually abused her at their workplace while she was intoxicated.
The incident was allegedly partially captured on CCTV.
Afterwards, he allegedly gave her $50 and told her, “Keep this a secret”.
It is also alleged that when she wanted to go to the chemist to get emergency contraception after the sexual assault, he bought her the medication.
Mr Patel was charged with three counts of sexual intercourse with a person under 16, as well as single counts of committing an act of indecency on a person under 16 and supplying liquor to a young person.
His defence barrister, James Maher, said he would enter not guilty pleas to all charges when he applied for bail again in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday (13 May).
The court previously heard police had received a report of Mr Patel making sexually inappropriate comments to a different girl before the alleged sexual assault.
After he was refused bail, police said they had received more reports of him allegedly being sexually inappropriate towards three more girls.
However, Mr Maher said these new alleged reports were “somewhat obscure” and did not rise to the level of criminal offending beyond being “disreputable” behaviour.
Mr Maher also provided screenshots from social media of what he said were “trolling” comments towards his client.
Magistrate James Lawton said the matter had received some “press notoriety” and Mr Patel’s family had received some harassing messages. The court condemned any sort of pre-judgment or harassment.
He said it was for the court and a jury to decide if he was guilty and “there should not be a trial by social media”.
Mr Maher asked for his client to be granted bail on conditions he said effectively amounted to house arrest, in which he could only leave his home in the company of a family member and would have nothing to do with the café.
He would also surrender his Indian and Australian passports.
Prosecutor Tahni Whybrow, who opposed bail, alleged he had tried to buy the 15 year old’s silence twice, by giving her $50 after telling her it was their “secret” and buying her emergency contraception.
Magistrate Lawton said the charges were serious, but it appeared Mr Patel was aware of the police investigation for some time before his arrest, yet there was nothing to suggest he did anything the prosecution argued he might do in that time.
He said the prosecution had not satisfied him it was likely he would offend or interfere with witnesses if granted bail.
The magistrate said he would grant bail on the conditions proposed by the barrister, but he also had to surrender his passports before he was released from custody.
Bail was granted and the matter was adjourned to 24 July.
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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