Two 17-year-old boys and two 21-year-old men are facing multiple rape and sexual assault charges involving a 7-year-old boy.

The case is among several serious sexual offence matters filed in the High Court last month.

Statistics released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions show the accused persons face 11 representative counts of rape and three representative counts of sexual assault.

The alleged offending is said to have taken place on separate occasions between 2018 and 2023. The ODPP says a total of 17 indictments involving 59 sexual offence charges were filed last month.

The charges included 49 counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault and seven counts of sexual assault. There were 20 accused persons charged, including three juveniles, while 18 victims were involved in the cases. Ten of the victims were under the age of 18.

Among the other cases was one involving a 32-year-old man charged with child stealing and rape of a four-year-old girl. The matter was later discontinued to allow the child to undergo counselling, while the State reserved the right to reinstate charges later.

A 34-year-old man was also charged with six counts of rape of his 10-year-old stepdaughter. In another matter, a 57-year-old man faces multiple rape charges involving his three nieces aged 13, 11 and seven.

The ODPP says five incidents involved accused persons who were related to the victims. Other cases include a 33-year-old taxi driver charged with the alleged rape of a 24-year-old woman after she hired him to take her home from the city last year.

The ODPP says five cases were discontinued after Nolle Prosequi applications were filed due to insufficient evidence, victims being unavailable to testify, or victims being unable to recall incidents.