The leader of a NSW-based cult who has previously served time for sexual assault has been refused bail after allegedly breaching strict court orders.
William John Costellio, 72, is facing fresh charges after allegedly writing a letter to a woman in 2020 to tell her she would be one of his "12 wives" and would soon receive her first child.
It's alleged Mr Costellio used his wife's Facebook account to send messages to multiple people between March and June 2020, which was in contravention of the extended supervision order he was under.
The order was placed on Mr Costellio after his release from prison in 2014 after serving time for previous sexual assault offences.
Mr Costellio, who calls himself "Little Pebble", claims he is the only person who can speak directly to the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ and founded a cult called The Order of Saint Charbel based in Cambewarra, near Nowra, on the NSW South Coast.
The Supreme Court heard Mr Costellio's cult involved sexual conduct, several polyamorous relationships with persons styled as "queens" and 72 people referred to as "princesses" with whom Mr Costellio would procreate with to create a "royal dynasty".
At the centre of the new charges is a handwritten letter, allegedly penned by Mr Costellio, addressed to "my beloved daughter pearl of my sacred heart".
A photo of the letter was allegedly sent from the Facebook messenger account of Mr Costellio's wife, Sharon, to another woman.
Another alleged message exchange with someone in the Philippines has also been uncovered.
Justice Stephen Rothman said the new charges were concerning as the messages obtained by police were similar in nature to Mr Costellio's previous convictions.
"That note, as it is alleged was written by him, allegedly shows that the applicant is continuing to groom and or involve people in a religious sect," Justice Rothman said.
Although Mr Costellio is struggling with ill-health in jail, recovering from cancer of the skull and a stroke, Justice Rothman told the court he had no confidence Mr Costellio would adhere to bail conditions if released from Nowra Correctional Facility, where he is in remand.
Last year, a bid for him to move back to his Cambewarra commune was rejected by Corrective Services NSW after community backlash about his return.
Since his release in 2014, Mr Costellio has been subject to an intense level of supervision including around-the-clock electronic monitoring, as well as 48 other strict conditions around his housing, movements, finances, associations, electronic communications and personal appearance.
