ONLY a large slice of fortune saved a 10-year-old boy from an attempted kidnapping at alternative festival ConFest near Moulamein at the weekend.
Police allege a 43-year-old man had indecently assaulted the boy – and another the following day – in a bathroom area before attempting to carry him away.
However, the attacker slipped over, with the boy taking that opportunity to run back to his parents.
The next day, the same man is alleged to have indecently assaulted a seven-year-old boy while they were using an inflatable mattress at a nearby river.
Deniliquin Police arrested the man about 7.30pm on Saturday.
He was charged with two counts of aggravated indecent assault and fronted Deniliquin Local Court on Sunday, where he was refused bail. He will reappear at Griffith Local Court on Wednesday.
ConFest, founded in the 1970s, typically attracts upwards of 4000 people to its site near Moulamein each Easter.
Its organisers’ website states the festival has a clothing optional policy.
“Everywere (sic) at ConFest is clothes optional. Don't be surprised to have a naked ticket collector when you arrive at the ConFest gate,” the website reads.
In recent years it has been heavily targeted by police searching for illicit drugs, which has drawn the ire of some attendees. More than 100 charges were laid at last year’s event.
“The police surely have better things to do, than to go to the outback for a few small possession busts,” one festivalgoer wrote in the ConFest Facebook group.
The Advertiser reached out to ConFest organisers for comment but requests were not responded to.
