A Verulam man who stands accused of repeatedly raping his 10-year-old step-daughter is forging ahead with an application for bail - even planning on calling a witness to bolster his bid for freedom.

The 44-year-old mechanic‚ who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the girl‚ appeared briefly in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The man has been held in custody for three weeks after his arrest by a private security company.

The application for bail is expected to go ahead on Tuesday‚ after the man’s legal team secure the attendance of their witness and get clarity on the charges the man faces.

It is understood that the girl had confided in a neighbour that her father was allegedly abusing her‚ prompting a mob of neighbours to set upon him.

He was arrested a day later by security guards after the police detective assigned to the case the night before allegedly failed to register an investigation.

Angry community members assaulted the man during both detainments.

The police officer who allegedly failed to open the case is now facing disciplinary action.