Man who allegedly helped Russell Street bomber abduct and rape women granted bail

An accused rapist who allegedly helped abduct young women from Melbourne's streets with Russell Street bomber Craig Minogue has walked free ahead of his court case.

Peter Michael Komiazyk was released on bail on Friday, despite facing 38 charges over the abduction and rape of two women during the 1980s, alongside Minogue.

Magistrate Jelena Popovic said the 62-year-old's physical and mental health was deteriorating in custody, where he was being held in isolation for his own safety.

"It is not clear to me why the applicant, an unsentenced remandee, is in 23-hour lockdown, effectively in isolation, handcuffed during physiotherapy and spoken to by mental

health professionals through trap doors," she said in her written decision today.

Ms Popovic said Komiazyk was not a risk to the community as he had not committed a violent crime in 33 years, adding he would now be incapable of doing so due to his poor health.

"Bail has been a very grave decision for me to make ... any messing around I won't tolerate," she said.

Komiazyk is charged with aggravated rape and assault over the abduction of an 18-year-old woman from South Yarra in November 1985 and a second victim, aged 19, from Nunawading in March 1986.

Both women were forced into vehicles, blindfolded, threatened and sexually assaulted by at least three men for hours, police say.

Minogue, who is likely to die in jail because of laws introduced to stop him from ever being released on parole, faces the same charges as Komiazyk.

Another man also convicted over the fatal Russell Street Police Headquarters bombing in 1986, Brian Stanley Taylor, was suspected over the first rape but died behind bars in 2016.

Ms Popovic described the alleged rapes as "horrific, frightening, prolonged and degrading" and acknowledged the victims' ongoing trauma.

Komiazyk's bail conditions include daily reporting, a surety of $50,000 put up by his brother and a curfew.

He is due back in court for a committal mention on February 10.