William Smith, 74, is accused of indecent assault, gross indecency and sexual penetration over numerous incidents involving young girls in the 1990s.

A court yesterday heard four women had made separate complaints about Smith, who was interviewed by police during a search of his house in November.

In a committal hearing at Ballarat Magistrates Court, Magistrate Peter White heard evidence from a series of witnesses, who were cross-examined by defence barrister Dermott Dann.

The mother of two alleged victims said Smith and his partner babysat her daughters and one of them regularly slept overnight at his house at weekends. 

While in their care, one of the girls also accompanied the couple to a nudist colony and was photographed without any clothes on.

A former member of the Ballarat Community Policing Squad also told the court in 1991 she became concerned about a Ballarat school girl, after she came into the possession of several photographs depicting the child at a nudist colony in the company of adults.

She described some of the photographs as “particularly graphic and disturbing”.

But when she went to the girl’s school to question her about the incident, the child denied anything inappropriate took place.

Police chose not to pursue a criminal investigation after the victim’s mother also had no concerns regarding the photographs, or Smith’s behaviour.

But yesterday, police informant detective senior constable Carolyn Kemfert told the court police executed a search warrant of Smith’s house in November and advised four separate victims had come forward.

Mr Dann said his client had blood pressure issues and was in a nervous and confused state when police arrived on his doorstep.

Smith appeared in court yesterday on 51 charges, of which two were dismissed.

He will now be committed to stand trial on 49 charges, including 20 of indecent assault, 25 of gross indecency in the presence of a child under 16 and three counts of sexual penetration of a person aged 10 to 16.

Mr White asked Smith, who sat quietly in the courtroom during the proceedings, how he intended to plea.

“Not guilty, your honour,” he said, while standing in front of the court.

He was bailed to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on August 6 for a directions hearing.