Tiahleigh Palmer's 19-year-old foster brother told a cousin he'd had sex with the 12-year-old and was worried she was pregnant, a court has heard.
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In successfully keeping Trent Jordan Thorburn behind bars, prosecutors argued he had deliberately misled and lied to police throughout the 11-month investigation into the alleged murder of the Logan schoolgirl.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Ellen French alleged a Facebook Messenger conversation between Mr Thorburn and his cousin two days before Tia went missing showed him disclosing that he'd had sex with her.
"He says he had sex with the victim on the prior Monday and he had only done so because she had threatened to kill his dog," Sergeant French said, of a conversation that was allegedly handed over to police.
"The defendant said he was concerned about her being pregnant..." she told the court.
"The defendant further outlines the victim had spoken to his mother about it."
Mr Thorburn's defence lawyer John Ide argued he should have been granted bail on charges including incest considering his age, lack of criminal history and potential time behind bars awaiting trial.
"He's a young man with no criminal history whatsoever," he said.
Sergeant French told the court Mr Thorburn had denied any involvement or sexual conduct with Tia on five separate occasions and colluded with his family to mislead police.
"Eventually the defendant has admitted to the authorities that he had lied on multiple occasions in order to conceal the sexual intercourse between himself and Tiahleigh," she said.
A friend of Tia's told police the young girl had approached her about a month before her alleged murder, saying "Trent tried to touch me", Sergeant Ellen alleged.
"She further said that the victim claimed to have disclosed this to her foster mother," she said.
Mr Thorburn has been charged with incest, perverting the course of justice and two counts of perjury relating to Crime and Corruption Commission hearings in July and September this year.
Prosecutors argued he was "highly likely" to interfere with witnesses and "would attempt in every way shape and form to evade and avoid every risk" of imprisonment.
Magistrate Pamela Dowse kept Mr Thorburn behind bars, saying he was "not a candidate for bail at this point in time" but another application could be made in the future.
Outside court, Mr Ide said he would consider applying to the Supreme Court for bail.
Police allege Mr Thorburn's father, Richard Thorburn, killed Tia in an attempt to cover up his son's alleged crime.
The alleged killer was remanded in custody after his matter was heard on Wednesday morning as he remained in an induced coma in hospital after collapsing in the watchhouse on Tuesday.
EARLIER: The man accused of Tiahleigh Palmer’s murder is in an induced coma in hospital after collapsing.
Rick Thorburn, 56, did not appear in court on Wednesday, with his solicitor Kelly Thompson saying her client was residing at the Princess Alexander Hospital after collapsing on Tuesday soon after being charged.
Earlier, Mr Thorburn was charged with murder and interfering with a corpse in relation to the death of the 12-year-old schoolgirl.
He was remanded in custody and will face a committal hearing on December 21.
Tiahleigh was reported missing on October 30 last year and her body was found a week later on the banks of the Pimpama River on the Gold Coast.
Mr Thorburn and his wife Julene, 54, were Tiahleigh’s foster parents at the time of her disappearance.
Overnight, Ms Thorburn was charged with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The couple’s sons and Tiahleigh’s foster brothers, Trent, 19, and Josh, 20, were also charged with perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The 19-year-old was also charged with incest.
At Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Tiahleigh’s biological mother Cindy left the hearing flanked by supporters but refused to speak to waiting media.
Wearing a white t-shirt emblazoned with ‘Justice 4 Tahlia’, Ms Palmer tighly clasped the hand of her partner as she avoided media and quietly walked down a Beenleigh street away from the courthouse.
Outside the court, Mr Thorburn’s laywer Kelly Thompson also declined to comment on the her client’s condition.
Josh Thorburn man is expected to face court later on Wednesday.