Whyalla man faces sentencing for unlawful sexual relationship with a child

A 25-year-old Upper Spencer Gulf man who denied impregnating a child until the results of a DNA test proved otherwise has heard his victim’s words read out in court.

An Upper Spencer Gulf predator breached his bail conditions by driving hundreds of kilometres to visit a child after meeting the girl on Snapchat, a court has heard.

The 25-year-old Whyalla man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, faced the Port Augusta District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child.

The perpetrator was charged in December 2022 and has breached bail seven times since, all involving contact with the victim in contravention of his bail agreement, the court heard.

An emotional statement from the victim was read by prosecution to the courtroom.

“He played with my mental health like I was a toy,” the statement read to the court.

The victim's impact statement was read aloud in court. Picture: File

“He constantly broke mine and other’s boundaries, he hurt me so much I couldn’t even say his name.

“I’m worth so much more.”

Defence lawyer, Sally Burgess, said the offender was living in Whyalla working as a cook and a delivery driver when he first had sex with his victim.

Ms Burgess said he took his victim motorbike riding and to the beach before impregnating her the first time they had sex.

Ms Burgess said what happened was “every man’s worst nightmare.”

The court was told the victim has previously been sexually abused by other men.

On November 17 the victim’s child was removed from her and a DNA test was conducted.

The test results confirmed the 25-year-old Whyalla offender to be the child’s father.

Judge Gordon Barrett told the court the perpetrator initially denied having sex with his victim until after the result of the DNA test.

Ms Burgess her client has acknowledged he “should have been upfront with the police” when initially questioned about his offending.

“This one matter has set off a chain of events, he’s a young man who’s trying to make his way forward, takes six steps forward and goes back,” Ms Burgess said.

“He wants to repair the situation and make the best of it.”

Prosecution told the court that a bond would not be appropriate for the matter.

“Due to the seriousness of offending and serious age gap, it does require an immediate case of imprisonment,” he said.

“On one occasion or multiple occasions the person did go to victims mother’s house, on another occasion he followed the victim while driving a vehicle.”

The offender will be sentenced later this week.