A reality TV contestant has allegedly been bashed in a Queensland jail after being refused bail on 47 charges, including 14 counts of rape, relating to 12 different women.
Riccardo Valenza, 31, who appeared on the 2023 season of dating show FBoy Island Australia, hosted by controversial media figure Abbie Chatfield, has spent the last three months in custody, and was denied bail again in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday.
The court heard Valenza was prepared to accept strict bail conditions and had been hospitalised twice for “multiple facial fractures” as a result of being allegedly assaulted behind bars, Newswire reported.
Valenza was initially granted bail after being arrested and charged in October, but more alleged victims came forward and he was hit with dozens of new charges, including rape, stalking, harassment and administering a stupefying drug.
Prosecutors alleged he was caught with multiple mobile phones on February 23, a breach of his bail conditions, and contacted at least one of his alleged victims on Instagram while out on bail, and was serving good behaviour bonds at the time of some of the alleged offences.
Defence solicitor Nathan Turner said the alleged jail assault meant his client now had “acute awareness to comply” if granted bail, and asked for conditions including curfews, reporting requirements, travel restrictions, a ban on social media and limits on phone use.
He also told the court that some of the alleged victims had continued communicating with Valenza after the alleged offences, and argued some of the complainants were involved in “transactional” arrangements for explicit images and sexual activity in exchange for money.
Mr Turner also disputed the administering a stupefying drug charge, telling the court that in his opinion a video of between 30 and 40 minutes showed the complainant was not sedated or incapacitated.
But Justice Martin Burns said Valenza was an “unacceptable risk” of reoffending due to the “serious (alleged) offending while out on bail” and was concerned he would not comply with his bail conditions.
“In the end my concern is fuelled by what appears to be fairly strong prosecution cases on the breach of bail charges he faces,” Justice Burns said.
Header image: Left, Riccardo Valenza. Right, with other contestants and host Abbie Chatfield (Binge).
The post Rape-accused reality TV contestant bashed in Queensland jail first appeared on The Noticer.
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