Daniel Stoneman sold himself as a soulful wedding singer – but he’s alleged to be a serial rapist who used dating apps and social media to target his victims. Now he’s walked free from court despite facing 52 charges
- Daniel James Stoneman charged with sex crimes
- They include four charges of alleged rape
- He was granted bail during a court hearing on Wednesday
A Queensland musician charged with 52 offences including sexual assault after allegedly contacting women online will spend his first night in his own bed, three months after his arrest.
Police allege Daniel James Stoneman, 34, committed the offences after using dating apps and other platforms to contact women in the Brisbane and Gold Coast areas between 2019 and 2023.
The Queensland singer was charged with 18 counts of sexual assault and related offences in March and April this year after a search warrant was executed at his Logan home in March.
After further investigation, police charged Stoneman with 34 additional charges in May, including 24 counts of distributing intimate images, four counts of rape and one count of attempted rape, strangulation, making recordings in an invasion of privacy and unlawful stalking.
No requests have been submitted.
The Public Prosecution Service will charge in court that at least eight different women have filed complaints. Four of the women claim they were raped and six of them claim their images were distributed without their consent.
Stoneman applied for bail in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday.
His lawyer Craig Eberhardt KC told the court his client had been “unable to cope” with the situation on remand, which had taken a toll on his mental health.
The court was also told that two of the alleged victims knew they were being filmed by Stoneman and that one of them was even encouraged by him to send the video to others.
Mr Eberhardt said the charges relating to distributing images were not the subject of the bail application, but he said the court should consider whether the complainant was “in some distress”.
Mr Eberhardt said that because one of the complainants had shared the video with others, Mr Stoneman’s “state of mind” at the time he distributed the material was not “bad”. He believed she had no problem with it because of her own actions.
Judge Bradley said he found the argument that the alleged offence was “less serious” because the woman had sent the same video to another person “clearly unappealing”.
“Are we back in the world where we say that if a woman has sex with someone, her rape is less serious?
“You would hope that you wouldn’t emphasize what women were taught in the 1950s.”
Mr Eberhardt said that his argument was not intended to suggest that the woman was guilty, but that the prosecution would have to successfully prove how much suffering the complainant had suffered as a result of the distribution of the video.
“It is too difficult to say whether these issues will come up for discussion or not,” he said.
At least eight women have testified they were attacked by Stoneman (pictured)
Stoneman was granted bail during a court hearing on Wednesday
Mr Eberhardt said Stoneman would agree to strict conditions on his bail, including a curfew and informing the DPP when he intended to enter into a “non-platonic” relationship.
He would also agree not to use social media or dating apps and to hire a relationship therapist to learn more about relationships.
The Public Prosecution Service objected to the request for bail.
The prosecutor said there would be risks to women in the community if Mr Stoneman were released on bail, even though he is banned from using dating apps.
She said she was worried that “he might meet women in real life.”
“The risk is reduced if I tell my office,” she said.
“If he meets women in real life, that’s a risk.”
Judge Bradley granted Stoneman bail with strict conditions.
He is not allowed to leave his house unless he is under the supervision of his parents or before he has made an appointment with a psychologist.