Posted on 12/04/2012 9:59:22 PM PST by BlackVeil
A high-profile refugee lawyer will face a Sydney court next month, accused of raping four men more than a decade ago.
David Bitel has been charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of indecent assault.
Police say the offences were committed at an office on Pitt Street in Sydney's CBD between 1995 and 2004.
The 60-year-old is on strict conditional bail and will face court next month.
Bitel is the managing partner at the firm Parish Patience Immigration Lawyers.
On the firm's website, Bitel is described as a "leader in his field".
The list of achievements is long - president of the Refugee Council of Australia from 2002 to 2005, chairman of the Australian Refugee Foundation, and 2002 winner of the Paul Cullen Humanitarian Award.
Bitel also served as the treasurer for the International Commission of Jurists.
Commission spokesman John Dowd told the ABC that Bitel resigned from the role last night.
The ABC has been unable to speak to Bitel.
So what slap on the wrist punishment will he get?
They say the incidents took place in an office, and he’s a “refugee advocate” immigration lawyer. So, it sounds to me like he was probably preying on the illegal immigrants, thinking that they wouldn’t go to the authorities. They’ve got four charges, but who knows how many people didn’t come forward?
LOL! That picture!
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