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Family in court over Geelong teen rape

Four men from one family are accused of abducting and gang raping a 14-year-old girl in regional Victoria.

The men had been at a family reunion and out drinking before they allegedly came across the teenage girl and her 16-year-old male friend in a Geelong park early on November 1, a court has heard.

Police say she was taken away and raped by two of the men at one address before being attacked by multiple offenders in a garage at another property.

Fourth man charged for gang rape

The girl was then dropped back to the park, Detective Senior Constable Liana Goonan told the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

She went to a nearby house and asked for help.

Two Melbourne brothers – Kevin Andrew Wild, 28, and Allan Mark Wild, 29, have been remanded in custody over the alleged incident and are due to reappear in court on Friday.

Another relative, Brodie Mark Wild, 20, is also in custody after he was extradited from Queensland.

Geelong man Rowan Gavin Wild, 27, is the fourth to be charged with one count each of abduction and rape after approaching police on Tuesday.

He applied for bail on Wednesday, with his mother in court, but Deputy Chief Magistrate Jelena Popovic reserved her decision until Thursday.

Det Sen Const Goonan said Wild was an unacceptable risk of interfering with witnesses, or reoffending, if released on bail.

She alleged Rowan and Allan Wild were standing about four metres away as the other two raped the girl at the first address.

The girl’s friend, who had been at a gathering with her before they went to the park, begged the men to stop, saying “she’s only 15, leave her alone”.

Rowan Wild allegedly went up to those raping the girl and said: “She’s 18, it’s all good”.

The girl’s friend was allegedly punched by Kevin as he tried to intervene and then ran to get help, so he was not there when the girl was taken to the garage, the court heard.

Det Sen Const Goonan also alleged Rowan Wild had dyed his red hair black in a bid to avoid police detection, but later conceded he may have done it to minimise threats from the public.

Wild’s lawyer David Barrese said threats had been made via social media, after publicity over the case.

He also told the court there was no evidence that Rowan Wild touched or raped the girl.

The girl, who police say was intoxicated at the time, could only say there were multiple offenders in the garage.

The girl’s family, in a statement outside court, said it was the worst day of their lives but thanked police.

“Our family has suffered a deeply personal and horrific tragedy which by its nature has been very public and overwhelming,” they said.

-AAP

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