Ashley John Carter jailed for sexually abusing 14-year-old girl at Adelaide hotel

A predator pretended he was a 17-year-old boy to groom and sexually abuse a 14-year-old girl at an Adelaide hotel – until she bravely worked out his lie.

A predator pretended he was a 17-year-old boy before sexually abusing a child on multiple occasions at a hotel, a court heard.

Ashley John Carter, 34, was jailed after his sinister motives were exposed – with the court hearing he is still at high risk of reoffending.

During sentencing, the District Court heard Carter met the 14-year-old victim online when she lived in Adelaide and he resided in Brisbane.

From February 2019, the two exchanged naked photographs via WhatsApp, with Carter telling the victim he was 17.

Carter then travelled to Adelaide in June 2019, where the victim visited him three times at the Ibis Hotel in Rundle Mall.

Ashley John Carter was jailed for multiple counts of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl. Photo: File

They had sexual intercourse on the first two occasions before the victim came to visit him again the next day.

The court heard Carter gave the victim his wallet to buy beer and she checked his identification card and discovered his true age, which made her very upset.

Carter then initiated another sexual encounter, which the victim very reluctantly agreed to.

The victim then reported Carter to the police.

Carter pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and one count of indecent assault.

The court heard Carter was also previously jailed in Queensland for grooming two children.

The court heard Carter, a father, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and a possible intellectual disability.

A psychologist found Carter’s offending behaviour was motivated by a persistent sexual interest in adolescents and was at high risk of reoffending.

Judge Anthony Allen said while Carter may suffer from cognitive deficits, he was still capable of grooming and lying to his victim and planning the trip to sexually abuse her.

He sentenced Carter to five years and four months jail, with a non-parole period of four years and three months.

“It is necessary for courts to impose penalties which protect young people from their own immaturity and from older people prepared to take advantage of their youth and naivety,” Judge Allen said.

The sentence was backdated to June 23, 2022.