Grandfather Vincent De Paul Mau pleads guilty to two counts of sexual assault in Cairns District Court

A fisherman with 32 grandchildren has been convicted in Cairns District Court of assaulting a young woman during a plane trip.

A 70-year-old convicted rapist has been sentenced for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman on a plane.

The case was set to go to trial but father-of-six Vincent De Paul Mau pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault after he groped a woman on her breast and thigh.

In Cairns District Court, Judge Ian Dearden said the woman was entitled to feel safe and she was very distressed by De Paul Mau’s actions.

“She should not have to feel scared because someone like you behaves so badly on a plane,” he said.

De Paul Mau sexually assaulted a young woman twice on a plane. Picture: Supplied

The court did not hear what route the plane was taking.

De Paul Mau, who lives on Thursday Island with his wife, was convicted of rape, attempted rape, and indecent assault in Cairns Supreme Court in 1984 and received a 10 year sentence.

But Judge Dearden noted from 2022 to 2021, De Paul Mau had no trouble, except for two minor issues in 2021 and 2023, so his serious offences were almost 40 years ago.

Judge Dearden said De Paul Mau had consumed an enormous amount of alcohol and was emotional as he was travelling to unveil a tombstone for a cousin.

“None of that is an excuse for your bad behaviour – criminally bad behaviour – but it does explain at least a little about how it happened,’ he said.

De Paul Mau received a sentence of nine months’ prison for each of the two offences, to be served concurrently, but Judge Dearden suspended the sentences for an operational period of 18 months.

Originally published as Grandfather Vincent De Paul Mau pleads guilty to two counts of sexual assault in Cairns District Court