Eleven teens and adults charged with torturing boy

A Sydney salon owner has been charged with allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting two men. The 39-year-old individual was arrested at Rosebery and charged with two counts of using an intoxicating substance to commit an indictable offence and two counts of sexual intercourse without consent. The charges stem from allegations that the salon owner contacted the men through an online dating platform before inviting them to the salon, where they unknowingly ingested a substance before being sexually assaulted. The incidents are alleged to have occurred in March and May of this year. The salon owner will spend the night in police custody before appearing in bail court on Saturday. The salon was being scientifically examined on Friday, according to NSW Police Superintendent Andrew Garner. The investigation into the incident began in June after two men, aged 34 and 37, reported being sexually assaulted at the salon located in Sydney’s inner south. The salon, named Salon DS, is situated on the corner of Maloney Street and Gardeners Road in Rosebery. Detectives arrested the owner at the salon on Friday morning and took him to Mascot police station. Police are still investigating the specific substance used and the method of ingestion. It is understood that the victims were not known to the arrested individual or to each other. Support services for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence are available through the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491. In a separate case in Townsville, nine individuals have been arrested following the discovery of a 17-year-old boy who was found bashed and tied to a tree in bushland. The teenager was found by a jogger around 6:35am on July 18. Three people have already been charged with offences including torture. A 13-year-old boy from Deeragun was charged on July 24 with four offences, including torture, and appeared in Townsville Childrens Court. A 35-year-old woman from Kirwan was charged with five offences, including torture and unlawful detention, and remains in custody. A 14-year-old girl from Kirwan was charged with four offences, including torture and assault while in armed company, and has been dealt with under the Youth Justice Act. Six additional individuals were arrested on August 7 and are yet to be charged. Investigations into the incident continue. Further developments in the Townsville case include the hearing of several alleged torturers in Townsville Magistrate's Court. A 15-year-old alleged torturer is set to be assessed for an electronic monitoring device as part of a potential bail application. The court heard that the 17-year-old victim, who has an intellectual disability, was found bashed, zip-tied, and wrapped in plastic in bushland. The police prosecutor stated that the group, which had previously been socializing, allegedly kicked the victim and whipped him with a horse whip, leading to him crawling out onto the road. The assault reportedly continued with more individuals arriving in a vehicle and striking the victim with a bat and a metal implement before stomping on him. The victim was then wrapped in industrial clear plastic, zip-tied, placed in the boot of a vehicle, and dumped in bushland. The victim required surgery due to severe injuries, including a broken nose, spinal fracture, and fractures to his tibia. The court was informed that the 15-year-old defendant allegedly committed the torture offense the day after receiving a warning from the court for previous offenses. The defense lawyer argued that the case against the 15-year-old was circumstantial and that he was not a participant in the offenses. His fingerprints were found on the industrial plastic wrap. The magistrate noted the exceptional seriousness of the charges and emphasized the need for compliance with bail conditions if granted. The matter was adjourned to August 13 for a suitability assessment regarding the use of an electronic monitoring device. Other co-accused are scheduled to appear in court for bail applications, with their cases adjourned to August 10. Additionally, eleven people, including several teenagers, have been charged with allegedly torturing the 17-year-old boy before binding him with zip ties and wrapping him in plastic in a large park near Townsville. The boy was discovered by joggers in the Town Commons park on July 18. Police allege the attack was not random but orchestrated by a group who knew the victim. Child protection police initiated an investigation that led to the arrest of a 13-year-old boy from Deeragun on July 24. Four days later, a 35-year-old woman and a 14-year-old girl from Kirwan were charged with similar offenses. Eight more individuals have been charged since Friday, including several from the Heatley and Kirwan suburbs. All suspects are currently in custody pending further legal proceedings. The investigation continues as authorities examine a car crash on The Strand in Townsville that may be connected to the case.