Former Roebuck Bay Hotel manager Stewart Burchell denies indecently assaulting staff

The former manager of a landmark Broome pub has told a District Court jury allegations he indecently assaulted multiple staff are "absurd".

Readers are advised this article includes details of cross-examination about alleged indecent assaults some readers may find distressing.

Stewart Patrick Burchell, 51, is on trial in the District Court, accused of indecently assaulting five staff and a patron while manager of the Roebuck Bay Hotel between 2017 and 2023.

He is facing one count of sexual penetration without consent, alongside 13 counts of unlawful and indecent assault, with a further two charges dropped on Monday due to lack of evidence.

Taking the stand on Monday, on the fifth day of his trial, he denied that he had raped a staff member.

He told the jury he returned late to the pub one night because of reports a man was trespassing.

After a scuffle with the man, he said he left in the car of the alleged victim, who drove them to her accommodation.

He told the jury they then had intercourse, and the following night had sex again.

"It was completely consensual," he said.

Walked through each indecent assault claim by defence counsel Alexander Mossop, Mr Burchell variously said each incident "didn't occur", "never happened" and that he "refuted" the claims.

In response to a specific allegation that he pulled down one woman's bikini top, exposing her breasts, he pointed to the presence of large numbers of patrons during the alleged assault.

"That would be … absurd," Mr Burchell replied.

"There would be people around and they'd think I'd gone stark raving mad."

Asked about allegations he touched staff on the breast or buttocks, Mr Burchell said it was against "the whole foundation of what I was trying to achieve".

"If I'm doing it, then what would stop patrons or other staff doing it?" he said.

Prosecution queries staff movement

During cross-examination, prosecutor Gary Huggins questioned why Mr Burchell had transferred one of the alleged victims from the hotel to the nearby Skyla Nightclub.

Mr Burchell insisted the move was due to her poor performance at work.

"I was hoping that the responsibility over there would sharpen her up, so to speak," Mr Burchell said.

"It could be because of the sexual assault, though?" Mr Huggins asked.

"That's incorrect," Mr Burchell responded.

Text messages 'work terminology'

During the second day of Mr Burchell's cross-examination on Tuesday, the 51-year-old denied the alleged rape had occurred, saying sex was consensual and rejected allegations put to him that the complainant had said no "a number of times".

Mr Burchell was later asked by the prosecution about text messages between him and another employee shown to the jury. 

Mr Burchell told the jury that text messages he had sent the complainant asking her to "escape" work, "rape" and "abuse" him were "work terminology" and referred to the stress other people were giving him because he was "under the pump" at work.

When asked by Mr Huggins whether the messages suggested he had a sexual interest in the complainant, he said "not at all".

Mr Burchell told the court that an explicit image he had sent to the complainant of a penis in a woman's mouth with the words "please lol" was in the context of a joke between him and the complainant about another staff member.

The prosecution and defence are expected to make their closing submissions on Wednesday.