Convicted child rapist Keith William Marshall sentenced on historic rape of young girl

A man convicted of the rape of a 12-year-old girl last year has been sentenced in court again - this time after pleading guilty to the historic rape of another young girl decades ago.

Keith William Marshall has plead guilty to the rape of a young girl in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Picture: Brendan Radke.

A man convicted of the rape of a 12-year-old girl last year has been sentenced again, pleading guilty to the historic rape of a young girl when he was around 20 years old.

Keith William Marshall was sentenced to four years jail during a six-day trial last year for the digital rape of a 12-year-old girl.

Mr Marshall has now pleaded guilty to having previously raped a child in a pool in the late 1970s or early 1980s.

Mr Marshall was aged between 18 and 20 at the time of the offence, significantly older than the victim.

Crown prosecutor Christian Peters told the court the rape occurred when the two were left alone in a pool.

“He kissed and talked to her while doing that. This continued for a few minutes,” Mr Peters said.

Mr Peters said the offending had an “aspect of brazenness” given the close proximity of other adults.

Mr Marshall was previously convicted for the rape of a 12-year-old girl receiving a four year sentence. Picture: Brendan Radke.

“The offending only ceased when another adult called out, at that time the defendant ran out of the pool.”

Mr Peters read a victim impact statement to the court where she described how the rape left her “terrified” and “embarrassed”.

In the statement, the victim said she saw another man watching during the assault.

Defence lawyers told the court their client Keith Marshall was one of 14 children, is barely literate, and experienced racism from a young age because he is half-Indigenous.

The court heard that in January 2010, the complainant called the police and made a complaint. On January 8, 2010, there was a pretext call where she spoke to Mr Marshall.

The court heard the call was recorded and Mr Marshall told the complainant there was an incident in the pool where he was throwing her up in the air and his thumb slipped

and penetrated her vagina.

He later told police the penetration was entirely accidental.

Mr Peters submitted this was an attempt to disguise his conduct, in the face of the plea of guilty he had entered.

“He participated in an interview in which he provided that self-serving version with the police,” Mr Peters said.

The complainant waited 10 years until September 10, 2020 to complete her statement.

It was then when Mr Marshall was charged.

Judge Anthony Rafter SC said the more recent incident with a 12-year-old girl showed: “the fact that you went on to commit the offences to which you are now serving a sentence shows that there has not been rehabilitation in the meantime for you”.

Keith Marshall initially told police his hand slipped in the pool and his thumb accidentally went into the child’s vagina. Image: Cairns Post

Judge Rafter sentenced Mr Marshall to three-and-half years jail, adding it cumulatively on his existing sentence, bringing it to seven-and-a-half years imprisonment.

His present parole eligibility date was September 19, 2025, but Judge Rafter extended it until September 18, 2026.

Originally published as Convicted child rapist Keith William Marshall sentenced on historic rape of young girl