Teen, 13, arrested as police investigate alleged sex offences on walking trails

Police have charged a teenager over multiple sexual offences allegedly committed against women on walking trails in Sydney’s northern beaches.

“Following a public appeal, a 13-year-old boy was arrested after attending Mona Vale police station about 7.30pm,” NSW Police said in a statement on Saturday.

He was charged overnight with three counts of behaving in an offensive manner near a public place and eight counts of sexually touching another person without consent.

Police will allege that there were 11 separate incidents involving women and girls aged between 13 and 54 in the Narrabeen area, mostly between October 1 and 12.

There was also an earlier incident, where a woman was allegedly spoken to inappropriately at the intersection of Waroon Road and Carawa Road, Cromer, about 6.45pm on September 7.

Investigations began after three alleged incidents in two days, during which “a male allegedly approached women on walking trails, sexually touched them and then rode away on an e-bike”, police said.

“In one of the incidents, the man also [allegedly] made inappropriate sexual comments.”

Another woman came forward alleging that at the start of the month, she was sexually touched by a man at Narrabeen Lagoon and that he then rode away on an e-bike.

Two women further reported they had been sexually touched by a male riding an e-bike on October 12 as they walked along the lagoon near Bilarong Reserve.

The teenager has been granted conditional bail to appear in a children’s court on November 4.

Anyone with information, mobile phone or dashcam footage, or who may have witnessed any of the incidents is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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