13-year-old charged with sexual touching after alleged harassment of women on Sydney northern beaches

New South Wales police have charged a 13-year-old boy with multiple sexual offences allegedly committed against women on walking trails in the Narrabeen area of Sydney’s northern beaches. The boy was arrested on Saturday evening after detectives from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command established Strike Force Mexvo to investigate the incident.

The teenager was taken to Manly police station and charged with eight counts of sexually touching another person without consent, as well as three counts of behaving in an offensive manner in or near a public place. Police allege that 11 separate incidents occurred involving girls and women aged between 13 and 54 during a period spanning early to mid-October.

In each alleged incident, a male reportedly approached women on the walking trails, sexually touched them, and then rode away on an e-bike. While police noted that the bushland park spans 8km with limited camera coverage, they released CCTV images of a male they believed could assist with inquiries to the public.

The 13-year-old has been granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear at children’s court on 4 November. Superintendent John Duncan previously urged members of the public to come forward with information regarding the alleged incidents while the investigation remains ongoing.