Former CBA executive Christopher James McCann's final days after child procurement charge

News.com.au

2 days ago

A fortnight ago, Christopher James McCann was living a life of relative anonymity in Curl Curl.
The married father-of-two travelled frequently interstate as the head of health and social infrastructure at Commonwealth Bank in Sydney — a position he'd held for the past 11 months.
Behind the scenes, however, NSW Police officers and State Crime Command's Sex Crimes Squad had established Strike Force Coalhurst in March to investigate the 50-year-old over his alleged attempts to procure teenage girls for sex at his Brisbane hotel room. The matter had been referred to the Queensland Police Service's child exploitation unit, Taskforce Argos.
The months-long investigation by both police services culminated in Mr McCann's arrest at Sydney Airport and extradition to Queensland on July 10.
On Monday, Mr McCann was charged with a single count of using the internet to procure a child under 16 for a sexual act at Brisbane Arrests Court, where he was granted bail to reappear on August 4.
Forty-eight hours later, his body was found at Springbrook National Park, a popular tourist and bushwalking spot on the Gold Coast.
Shocked tourists witnessed police cars and an ambulance speed past them as they made their way back to their holiday homes.
'A report will be prepared for the Coroner following the non-suspicious death of a man at Springbrook yesterday (Wednesday),' a Queensland Police spokesperson said.
On Monday, the court was told police alleged Mr McCann – who had worked in corporate finance, including at ANZ and Westpac, for more than two decades – had formed a 'connection' with his co-accused, sex worker Shauntelle Elizabeth Went.
It is further alleged Mr McCann was organising to use the 18-year-old's services while in Brisbane in May but queried if she had any 'younger friends' she worked with.
'You made an arrangement and agreed on a price to use Ms Went's services and that of two underage girls,' magistrate Louise Shepherd said in her summary of the police allegations.
The teen girls, aged 14 and 15, and Ms Went allegedly attended the Sofitel Hotel, but Ms Shepherd said it was not alleged the girls went up to Mr McCann's room.
The court was told Mr McCann was no longer employed by Commonwealth Bank as a result of the charges. His financial accounts had also been frozen by detectives.
Police opposed Mr McCann's bail, claiming there was a risk of further offending and general safety to the community
Ms Shepherd also said Mr McCann would not necessarily serve any time in custody if convicted and granted him bail on strict conditions.
He had to live with a university lecturer friend near Mudgeeraba, about 20km north-east of Springbrook and not have contact with children except his own sons.
Mr McCann's lawyer David Jones KC took issue with affidavits filed by the arresting officer that he said engaged in 'speculation' and were lacking in objectivity.
He also pointed to an affidavit prepared by a clinical psychologist who did not even assess his client.
Mr Jones said the police material was speculative and engaging in 'fortune telling', telling the court his client was not in a show-cause position and therefore had a prima facie case for bail being granted.
'What would ordinarily be against an applicant, they have flipped,' Mr Jones said.
'So the fact he's 50 years old with no criminal history, doesn't use drugs, doesn't drink – ordinarily for everybody else, that would be a benefit, but for him, that's a disadvantage.'
Ms Shepherd granted Mr McCann bail – ordering him to report to police once a week, not to drink or use illicit drugs and be subject to drug testing. He was also ordered to possess only one phone.
Ms Went was also granted bail during an application before Ms Shepherd.
The court was told Ms Went was receiving a disability support pension and received money through her OnlyFans account, but she did not perform in-person sex work.
Both Mr McCann and Ms Went had been due to return to court on August 4.