Cult leader accused of grooming girl to be his 'queen'

A "highly manipulative, opportunistic and cynical" self-professed cult leader accused of grooming a child to be his queen should not be granted bail, a court has been told.

William Kamm has been charged along with his wife Sandra Susan Mathison for the alleged sexual abuse of the child since she was six years old.

The 73-year-old made a bid for bail at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, with his barrister Paul Johnson describing the case as "bizarre".

"To this day, my client is never alleged to have met the complainant," he told Magistrate Scott Nash.

Kamm watched the hearing by video-link wearing prison greens from the Parklea Correctional Centre.

The alleged abuse took place while the self-proclaimed prophet was either in jail or under an extended supervision order put in place after his release on parole, the court heard.

This order was put in place after Kamm was convicted for the sexual abuse of two other girls.

Contact with the alleged victim by phone and letter as well as various presents such as a crucifix are claimed to have been part of the grooming and breached the supervision orders, police facts filed with the court claim.

Under the orders, Kamm is not allowed to associate with any woman less than 17 years old.

Mr Johnson said the case was weak, asking why Kamm did not contact the girl after she turned 17 if she had been groomed for sexual activity.

"You would seriously have to wonder how much voracity there is to any of these allegations."

Kamm denied having any contact with the girl before her 17th birthday and did not chase her even after she said she wanted to leave his church, the barrister said.

"‘There's been no suggestion my client has pursued her thereafter in relation to her becoming one of his queens,” he argued.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Philipson denied the case was weak, saying the complainant's allegations were backed up by documents like her notepads and journals.

He also said the case would rely on evidence Kamm had a tendency to act in a certain way towards underage girls.

Evidence to the NSW Supreme Court showed the 72-year-old had been diagnosed with a disorder like pedophilia or hebephilia, Mr Nash heard.

This explained why Kamm had not approached the girl after she turned 17 as he was not sexually attracted to her at that age, Sgt Philipson said.

The prosecutor also urged the court to take into account Kamm's lengthy criminal history and his dangerous interest in underage women.

"Mr Kamm has a criminal history of highly manipulative, opportunistic and cynical predation upon under-age females for his sexual gratification by grooming and deception," he said, quoting from a NSW Supreme Court judgment.

There were no bail conditions able to mitigate all the risks, Sgt Philipson said, given Kamm had shown an ability to disobey court orders before.

"This is a person who is intelligent, is charismatic and is able to circumvent and defeat the conditions that are imposed on him," he said.

Kamm has been charged with grooming a child under 14 years for unlawful sexual activity, grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity and an aggravated offence of inciting a person to do a sexual act.

He has also been charged with two counts of failing to comply with a supervision order.

Mathison, 58, was separately granted bail in March.

She has been charged with grooming a child under 14 years for unlawful sexual activity and grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity.

Mr Nash will deliver his decision on Thursday.

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