Wayne Suters appeared in the Albury Local Court dock this week after being arrested by members of the NSW Police Southern Tablelands child abuse squad.

The allegations leveled at Suters, 47, were that he began sexually abusing a girl at Mount Druitt in Sydney as early as 2003 when she was aged as young as five.

The most recent allegation relates to claims that Suters committed sexual offences against the girl at Goulburn and in the south-western Sydney suburb of Airds as recent as 2013 when she was aged 15.

Defence solicitor Tim Hemsley said his instructions from Suters were that “a number of the allegations take place” when others were present, but they did not see anything untoward.

Mr Hemsley also put that the alleged victim had made similar complaints about three other people that were not maintained.

It was also a “weak” prosecution case, he said, due to a lack of corroborative evidence.

Suters had ongoing medical issues related to diabetes and heart disease.

He had to be taken to hospital after his arrest, on the night before his court appearance, so there was “a need to attend to his health needs”.

Mr Hemsley said Suters also faced a long time in custody before his matter went to trial in the District Court.

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But magistrate Rodney Brender said Suters’ health could be attended to in custody and his wait for trial was no different for anyone else facing such allegations.

That meant, he said, it was only the strength of the prosecution case that came into play in addressing bail.

Mr Brender said he had to refuse bail as he considered it was actually a strong case against the accused.

Suters has not entered pleas to 17 charges.

These include several counts of aggravated indecent assault with a person under 10 years, have sexual intercourse with a person aged between 10 years and under 14 years and have sexual intercourse with a person 14 years or over and under 16 years.

Suters was remanded in custody for a further mention of the matters in early 2019.