A businessman accused of inappropriately touching a dozen women during job interviews has been granted release on home detention bail.
Solomon Farah, 67, appeared in the Port Pirie Magistrates Court today charged with offences including four counts of aggravated indecent assault and 10 counts of aggravated assault.
Magistrate Kym Millard granted Mr Farah release on strict home detention bail conditions including electronic monitoring and a ban on contacting anyone who had previously applied for a job at his business, Skin Fit Co on Currie Street in the Adelaide CBD.
“He is not to contact or communicate with any of the presently named complainants, nor any person named or has family connection with those complainants,” he said.
“He is not to contact or communicate with any person who may have been employed or have been undertaking work experience … or had applied for employment or undertaking work experience at his place of business.”
Mr Millard said that because Mr Farah, a registered firearms owner, was also charged with the possession of a silencer and ammunition which had been found at his Oakden home, he was a prescribed applicant that must prove special circumstances to be granted release on bail.
“Mr Farah, by reason of possession of that silencer and ammunition, is a prescribed applicant … he must establish special circumstances to justify his release on bail,” he said.
Mr Millard said he considered reasons, including that Mr Farah had no prior criminal history, underlying health issues and potential defence concerns about the legality of the search that uncovered the silencer and ammunition.
He said there was also an issue with potential delays given “the need for comprehensive statements to be obtained from the current alleged complainants”.
“There will be a need for a review of a vast amount of evidence, documentary and otherwise,” Mr Millard said.
During Mr Farah’s first appearance last week, the court heard there may be more than 70 alleged victims in total and that, so far, 12 women had now come forward.
A prosecutor told the court during that hearing that an alleged victim had come forward in February and told police Mr Farah had inappropriately touched her during a “trial-job interview-type situation” at his business.
“He rubbed lotion on her, felt up her breasts under her shirt and made comments about keeping her breasts bouncy with lotion,” a prosecutor had told the court.
Court documents allege all of the assaults took place during job interviews between January 2023 and February 2024.
Mr Millard suggested a longer than usual adjournment to allow for the preparation of multiple witness statements.
Andy Ey, for Mr Farah, said he was expecting a “large amount of evidence” and asked the court for a longer than usual adjournment to receive all witness statements.
Mr Farah, who was arrested on May 1, will return to court in August.
