A former out-of-home care manager has pleaded not guilty to 30 criminal charges relating to allegations made by five female colleagues in New South Wales.

Damian Ellis Spohr, 30, appeared before Newcastle District Court by audiovisual link from the Hunter Correctional Centre on Thursday, 22 October 2026. He entered a plea of not guilty to every charge read out during the arraignment hearing.

The allegations relate to incidents said to have occurred between 2020 and 2025 across several locations in the state, including the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie, the Southern Highlands and the North Coast.

The charges include multiple counts of sexual intercourse without consent, aggravated sexual assault causing actual bodily harm and sexual touching. Spohr also faces several charges involving the alleged intentional choking of another person, including allegations that choking was used to commit another offence. One charge relates to the alleged intentional suffocation of a colleague without consent.

The court heard that some of the alleged choking offences involved claims that a victim was rendered unconscious or incapable of resisting. Spohr denies the charges, and the allegations have not been established in court.

The locations mentioned in the case include Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands, Tweed Heads in the Northern Rivers region, Greta, Maitland and Rutherford in the Hunter Valley, Raymond Terrace near Port Stephens, and Blackalls Park in the Lake Macquarie area.

Spohr was arrested in 2025 after detectives from the Port Stephens-Hunter police district investigated a number of alleged sexual assaults. At the time of his arrest, he was employed as a manager in the out-of-home care sector with a community services provider in the Hunter region.

During Thursday's hearing, Crown prosecutor Adele Banks described the prosecution case as extensive and referred to a large body of text-message evidence. The messages are expected to form part of the evidence examined as the case progresses.

Defence barrister Zoe Alderton told the court that the matter was complex and involved a substantial volume of material. She estimated that a trial could take between five and six weeks, with additional preparation and case-management arrangements likely to be required.

Judge Tim Gartelmann adjourned the proceedings until 5 November 2026. The court will consider whether the trial can be accommodated in Newcastle as a special fixture or whether it should be moved to Sydney. A trial date is expected to be determined in November.

The court also heard that apprehended violence orders are in place for all five women. Spohr remains in custody while the proceedings continue.

The case involves serious allegations spanning multiple years and locations. The prosecution will need to present evidence to establish the charges, while the defence will have the opportunity to challenge that evidence during the legal process.

Spohr has denied all 30 charges. He is presumed innocent unless and until the allegations are proven in court.