Ivan John Washington pleads guilty in Roma District Court to grooming a child under 16

A child groomer who went on the run and avoided police detection for four years has finally had his day in court after being caught grooming a young girl.

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A Dalby man who groomed a young girl was finally detained by police after he took off and went into hiding for four years.

Ivan John Washington pleaded guilty in Roma District Court to grooming a child under 16, appearing via videolink from custody.

Crown prosecutor Matt Le Grand said in 2019 Washington was caught sending lewd text messages and naked photos of himself and other women to a young girl.

Mr Le Grand said Washington’s offending involved him trying to engage the victim in sexual conversations, including asking her about shaving pubic hair, if she gets horny when she drinks alcohol and whether she has had sex before.

He then kept pressuring the victim multiple times to send naked photos of herself which she continually refused and told him to stop messaging her.

The victim showed the text messages to her mother and informed police.

Defence barrister Jens Streit said he understands the gravity and serious nature of the offending, including the moving words of the victim’s in court testimony.

Mr Streit agreed with the prosecution’s suggestion for a prison-probation sentence.

Judge Ken Barlow said it was troubling Washington kept pressuring the young girl to send inappropriate photos and discuss explicit topics as well as telling her not to tell her mother.

“You persisted in asking to see her nipples, you said you would make a deal with her that if she showed you once you wouldn’t ask again,” Mr Barlow said.

“She said ‘No, no no, I’m not interested. You shouldn’t be doing this.’ She told you it wasn’t happening.

“You told her not to tell her mother what was happening.

“She was clearly a very sensible young girl.

“She’s today provided a victim impact statement to this court, bravely reading out a very sensible statement demonstrating the effect that what you have not only had on her but on her broader family.

“She can’t be blamed in any of this. You are the only person to be blamed.”

Mr Barlow said it was clear Washington’s numerous bail breaches on his history indicates he is someone with a complete disregard for the court.

“This all happened quite a long time ago, back in 2019,” he said.

“The reason it has taken so long to come here (is because) you disappeared when it seemed she told (people).

“You weren’t able to be located, an arrest warrant was issued and you were arrested nearly some two years after the events in question.

“Then six months later or so you failed to appear on your bail which was revoked.

“You were finally arrested in March this year.”

Washington was sentenced to five months imprisonment and handed an 18 month probation order with mandatory mental health and psychiatric treatment.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Ivan John Washington pleads guilty in Roma District Court to grooming a child under 16