Phillip Reginald Davis sentenced for sex with teenage girl in a Glenelg motel room

A man had sex with a young girl in a Glenelg motel room after promising her a special birthday celebration, a court has heard.

A man had sex with a young girl with an intellectual disability after promising her a special birthday celebration and spa at a Glenelg motel, a court has heard.

Reginald Phillip Davis, 38, was re-sentenced in the District Court on November 24 after he was found guilty at trial of one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 17.

Judge Jo-Anne Deuter said Davis took the young girl to a Glenelg motel in 2019 under the proviso he was giving her a special birthday celebration.

“(You took) her to the motel at Glenelg for her to enjoy a spa bath and watch the AFL football, a sport that you both enjoyed.

“(The girl) trusted you, and they understood that she would enjoy the special time away.

“By your offending you therefore breached not only (the victim’s) trust but the trust of her whole family.”

Judge Deuter said the victim has intellectual disabilities and that Davis would have been aware of this.

“The victim told the court how your offending has changed her, causing her great anger, shame, heartache and sadness,” she said.

“She was also initially scared and upset as she felt it was her fault, and the person who had done something wrong.

“As you know Mr Davis, the law is clear that this cannot be the case. She was not the adult and could not agree to the sexual intercourse.”

Judge Deuter said the offending had caused the teenager to struggle with anxiety, eating, nightmares and flashbacks.

“Your offending has also impacted her relationship with her father and stepfather,” she said.

“Her trust in boys has been shaken. She feels responsible for the hurt her family carries with them due to your offending.”

Judge Deuter said the victim’s parents have also suffered as a result of the offending.

“The victim’s mother and stepfather have also provided victim impact statements to the court which outline in detail the guilt they feel,” she said. “They trusted you.”

Judge Deuter said Davis had not accepted the outcome of the jury which found him guilty.

“I am told that you do not accept the jury verdict and continue to deny that the offending occurred,” she said.

“Although you continue to refute the verdict of the jury, your prospects for rehabilitation are still good.

“In addition to the matters I have already set out, including the supportive family members and employer, you also have no previous history of offending, nor is there any indication of mental health issues or drug issues, beyond, of course, the anxiety and stress which comes with the guilty verdict and a return to custody.”

Judge Deuter said Davis’ sentence was to be reduced by 252 days due to his earlier sentencing for the same offence.

Davis was sentenced to a total of four years, three months and 23 days imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years and four months.

The sentence was backdated to October 2 2023.