Dylan Wayne Pedler found guilty of three counts of unlawful sex after picking up a 16 year-old girl from the side of the road

A 30-year-old man who picked up a child from the side of the road, got her drunk and had sex with her – despite her telling him she was underage – has been found guilty.

An “unsophisticated” man who picked up a 16-year-old girl from the side of the road knew she was underage when he had sex with her, a jury has found.

Dylan Wayne Pedler, 30, was found guilty by a jury in the Port Augusta District Court on Friday, December 2, of three charges of unlawful sex with a minor.

During her opening statement Mollie McKendrick, for the prosecution, told the jury Pedler used the fake name “Daniel” when he picked up two girls and told them he had a girlfriend in order to gain their trust.

“He picked her (the victim) up with the sole intention of grooming her by gaining her trust with alcohol,” Ms McKendrick said.

“After driving around town (he) took the girls to a bottle shop where they purchased 24 cans of Smirnoff Black, a beverage with two standard alcoholic drinks per can.”

“At one point in the evening Mr Pedler even offered to go to Adelaide to purchase fake IDs for the girls.”

Dylan Pedler has been found guilty of unlawful sex charges following a five day trial in Port Augusta. Photo: Facebook

The jury was asked by judge Michael Durant to consider whether Pedler knew the victim was 16 when he had sex with her, after he and another man Joel Pace, 32, allegedly picked up the two underage girls from the side of the road.

“It must be proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Pedler knew his victim was underage at the alleged time of offending,” Mr Durant said.

The court heard from the prosecution that Pedler’s victim repeatedly told him she was 16 and she had a boyfriend in an effort to stop his sexual advances.

“She was repeatedly told by Dylan Pedler ‘I’m 21, just let me f**k you’,” Ms McKendrick said.

“She repeatedly said that she was 16 and had a boyfriend, she was saying anything to make Dylan stop.

“She was using the only thing available to her, her age, in order to protect herself.”

The court heard that after arriving at the accused’s residence, the victims were offered drugs before Mr Pace allegedly took the 14-year-old into a bedroom and Mr Pedler followed the 16-year-old into a shed behind the house.

Mr Pace is yet to stand trial.

“It was in the shed where he grabbed her by the hips and started touching her,” Ms McKendrick said.

“He then turned her around and bent her over a white object.”

Pedler’s lawyer Craig Caldicott called upon the jury to consider the victim’s testimony as unreliable.

“The girls were drinking alcohol and taking drugs and (the victim) lied about having a boyfriend,” he said.

“It appears that she was having difficulty remember the details about what happened that night.”

Mr Caldicott also highlighted that Pedler didn’t have to speak to the jury but made the decision to do so.

“He is an unsophisticated man just trying to get his point across,” Mr Caldicott said.

“Maybe we wouldn’t be here if Mr Pedler had sent them some flowers.”

Pedler, who has been on home detention since arrest, had his bail revoked after the guilty verdict.

Sentencing for Pedler will begin later this month.