Former Dubbo Mayor Benjamine Shields is on trial for a historical sexual assault charge from 2003.
Former Dubbo Mayor Benjamine Shields is on trial for a historical sexual assault charge, accused of non-consensual sex with an 18-year-old in 2003 when he was 22 and serving on the council. The defense claims there is a political motive behind the accusation. Shields, who served as mayor from 2017 to 2021, formally pleaded not guilty at the District Court in Parramatta on April 9th. The complainant, who had a Labor background, caught a train to Dubbo for a New Year's Eve barbecue with Shields and his partner, and later went to Shields' long-time friend's home.
April 09, 2024
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