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A Floreat father who is accused of the neglect and starvation of his teenage daughter has told a Perth court he will represent himself in a 2027 re-trial, but remains hopeful the charges will be dropped altogether.
The 49-year-old and his wife, neither of which can be named to protect the identity of their daughter, were charged with two counts of having care or control of a child engaged in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering.
The mother has since engaged new legal representation and the court was waiting for the father to do the same, but on Friday he appeared in person at WA District Court and announced he would be representing himself.
He asked for a re-trial date to be adjourned, stating he was hoping for negotiations with the state “for discontinuance”.
But Judge Mara Barone set the matter down for a 29-day trial starting in August 2027.
The court was told the trial may run for longer than the original 25-day trial because there would be an extra defence witness.
The father told Barone he felt 29 days for a re-trial was “highly inappropriate”, adding that it was “highly inappropriate the first time”.
The protracted saga began after their arrest in 2021 that was exclusively reported by WAtoday.
Concerns were raised after dance instructors were told the girl was 16, but had the appearance of a nine-year-old.
Both parents were university-educated; the mother gave up her career as a journalist to be a stay-at-home mum, while the father worked in IT.
The parents denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that they loved their daughter very much, and that she was a fussy eater.
They brushed off concerns about her emaciated appearance, claiming she was “a bit thin” but not medically so.
The couple’s matter will be back before the court in July.
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