Gateshead photographer Robert John Eyre hit with fresh charges

Lake Macquarie detectives this week laid an additional six charges against Robert John Eyre relating to alleged offences against four women who were modelling for Mr Eyre at homes at Hamilton and Blacksmiths or at his Gateshead studio between 2007 and 2017. 

The fresh allegations bring the number of charges against Mr Eyre to 12 and the number of women or teenage girls who have come forward to speak to detectives about alleged assaults or offers of prostitution during photography sessions or massages to six. 

Mr Eyre, who is represented by solicitor Mark Ramsland, remains on conditional bail and will next appear in Belmont Local Court on Wednesday. 

The Newcastle Herald understands that the investigation into Mr Eyre stemmed from a similar examination into allegations against another Gateshead glamour photographer, Allan Todd Cameron, also 55. 

In fact, at least two of the women who have accused Mr Cameron of indecent assault and rape during modelling sessions have also made similar allegations against Mr Eyre, according to court documents. 

The fresh allegations against Mr Eyre include two counts of sexual intercourse without consent, two counts of attempting to procure a person for the purposes of prostitution, two counts of indecent assault and common assault. 

Detectives allege that the assaults occurred after Mr Eyre was contracted and often paid by the women to undertake fashion, lingerie, glamour, bikini or nude photo shoots. 

Some of the shoots were initially conducted professionally and without incident, police say. 

But detectives allege that Mr Eyre would make suggestive comments, repeatedly ask the women, some as young as 17, to pose nude or if they wanted a massage and then he would touch them inappropriately or pressure them to use sex toys. 

“There are other ways to pay if you don't have the money,” detectives allege Mr Eyre told a young woman before a photo shoot at Hamilton in 2007 or 2008. 

Mr Cameron, represented by solicitor Chris O’Brien, last appeared in court in December where he was committed to stand trial on 37 charges, including eight counts of sexual intercourse without consent and an offence of kidnapping a woman with the intent to take sexually explicit photos of her. 

Mr Cameron, who has been refused bail since his arrest, will next appear in Newcastle District Court on February 7 where he is expected to plead not guilty and get a trial date.