An elite private school graduate turned high-flying lawyer allegedly assaulted a young woman during a birthday party at one of his parents' Sydney mansions, a court has heard.
uncertain
court → turn → mansions
Oska Andrew Purcell, 27, allegedly committed both a serious assault and a sexual assault.
uncertain
Purcell → commit → assault
Purcell appeared via video link from prison on Thursday, smirking throughout the hearing.
asserted
Purcell → appear → hearing
Purcell, who is facing multiple charges relating to three women, was seeking bail to live at a luxury Ultimo home with his parents until his trial next year.
asserted
who → face → trial
Under the proposed bail conditions, the accused rapist and alleged sex offender would be effectively under house arrest in the six-bedroom property, which boasts four bathrooms and a rooftop garden.
asserted
which → propose → bathrooms
Purcell was granted bail on charges set for trial next year, but returned to custody because of a legal matter.
asserted
Purcell → grant → matter
Prosecutors depicted Purcell as a manipulative figure who wielded his family's wealth to intimidate young women who complained about his alleged sexual misconduct.
asserted
who → depict → misconduct
Appearing via AVL, Purcell was in prison greens with long hair tied in a man bun, smiling at times and politely responding 'thank you miss' to a female court officer.
asserted
hair → appear → officer
His parents, Andrew and Amanda Purcell, attended in person and submitted affidavits supporting their son.
asserted
parents → attend → son
Mr Purcell was cross-examined by NSW Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor Mark Hay about his supervision of the party where his son allegedly assaulted the victim.
uncertain
son → cros → victim
It is not suggested Mr Purcell had any knowledge of the alleged assault.
uncertain
Purcell → suggest → assault
Oska Purcell, 27, smirked as he sat through his bail application
Oska Purcell was portrayed by prosecutors as a manipulative controller who used his family's wealth as a threat to young women who complained about his alleged sexual offending
Oska is pictured with his father, Andrew Purcell
District Court Judge Antony Townsden was told that the Officer in Charge of Oska Purcell's criminal case alleges one of three young women was sexually assaulted at the family home.
Purcell, a former junior commercial litigation lawyer, is currently suspended from work.
asserted
Purcell → smirk → work
After graduating from Cranbrook School and then Macquarie University in 2021, Purcell worked as a paralegal before becoming a junior solicitor at the prestigious firm Pryor, Tzannes and Wallis.
asserted
Purcell → graduate → firm
His legal practising certificate, suspended by the NSW Law Society after he was charged, remains cancelled.
asserted
he → suspend → Society
Purcell is due to stand trial in March next year on 14 charges relating to two female complainants.
asserted
Purcell → stand → complainants
The charges include four counts of sexual assault without consent, two counts of intentionally choking without consent, two of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, four of using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend, and one of sexual touching.
asserted
charges → include → touching
He also faces charges of carrying out a sexual act without consent and threatening to distribute an intimate image.
asserted
He → face → image
Oska Purcell with his dad Andrew outside the $6million Ultimo mansion with its own private gym, a four-car garage and expansive private terrace, where he will be under 'house arrest' on bail
Prosecutors allege Oska Purcell manipulated his alleged female victims by leveraging control, his status as a solicitor, and his family's wealth - making it clear he could withstand any consequences because his family could afford top legal representation
uncertain
family → allege → representation
NSW Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor Mark Hay told the court that if found guilty, Purcell would face a significant sentence.
asserted
Purcell → tell → sentence
He argued Purcell should be denied bail, citing concerns he could attempt to influence trial witnesses.
uncertain
he → argue → witnesses
'Some of the tactics this man uses revolve around control, his influence, being a solicitor from a wealthy family.
asserted
control → use → family
He knows he can survive because his family can pay for lawyers.
asserted
family → know → lawyers
Since being in custody, he's shown a tendency to influence those who have made complaints,' Mr Hay said.
asserted
Hay → show → complaints
Mr Hay questioned Andrew Purcell in the witness box about a previous breach of bail, when he provided his son with two mobile phones, despite bail conditions prohibiting Oska from accessing alleged victims or social media dating sites.
asserted
he → question → victims
Andrew Purcell admitted he had not realised his son's use of Reddit, which he believed was simply a 'noticeboard' website, constituted a breach of conditions.
asserted
he → admit → conditions
'You understood Reddit is used for clandestine conversations?' Mr Hay asked.
asserted
Hay → understand → conversations
'You knew Oska would frequently communicate using anonymous accounts, phoning alleged victims from different numbers and using email accounts with false details to contact the complainants?'
asserted
Oska → know → complainants
Oska Purcell is facing multiple charges
Mr Purcell admitted providing the phones, saying, 'I accept it as an error,' but argued that under Oska's bail conditions, 'he was permitted internet access from the phone.'
He also agreed the breach - which led to Oska being remanded for a second time -'involved him incessantly making contact with (one alleged victim) through mobile telephones.'
The Crown questioned whether either parent could properly supervise their son, given their work-related travel commitments.
uncertain
parent → face → commitments
He told the court he would be travelling overseas the day after the bail hearing and again in December, each trip lasting ten days.
asserted
trip → tell → days
Regarding another complainant, OO, Mr Hay asked Andrew Purcell if he had any concerns about his son's behaviour, noting Oska had previously been served with AVOs protecting a girl in his teens.
'No, I didn't think so.
asserted
I → regard → teens
He was a much older man and it was a mature relationship, volatile at times, but at other times quite loving,' Andrew Purcell replied.
asserted
Purcell → reply → times
'They would break up and get back together.
asserted
They → break → ?
We saw them regularly.'
asserted
We → see → them
He agreed the woman, who is set to testify next March, had expressed concerns about the relationship.
asserted
who → agree → relationship
The court also heard that statements tendered for trial include 'an alleged admission by (Oska Purcell) in the company of OO and a friend that (Oska) admits to raping her.'
asserted
Oska → hear → her
However, Sam Pararajasingham SC, for Purcell, argued regarding that statement, 'the real issue is the admissibility of that.
asserted
issue → argue → that
The evidence points away from it.'
asserted
evidence → point → it
Mr Pararajasingham added that Purcell 'had a difficult time in custody as a result of mental health issues.'
Judge Townsden granted bail on strict conditions: Oska may have only one mobile phone and must not use any device to access dating sites or social media including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat or any other platform.
uncertain
Oska → add → WhatsApp
When released Purcell must abstain from alcohol and drugs, report to police, and may not travel outside Sydney, NSW or Australia.
uncertain
Purcell → release → Sydney
While on bail, Purcell will be confined to the family home - which features a private gym, four-car garage and expansive terrace - and must present himself at the door for drug and alcohol testing.
asserted
which → confine → testing
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
