Bundaberg man sentenced over sexual coercion in DV offences

A court has heard how a stint of probation and a men’s behavioural change program were not enough to stop his offending.

A court has heard a man breached a DV order twice by sexual coercion. Photo: iStock

A man accused of breaching a domestic violence order by sexual coercion twice sobbed as a magistrate handed down a suspended prison term.

On Tuesday, the defendant, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, faced sentencing in Bundaberg Magistrates Court.

Police and court news

The man audibly sobbed as Magistrate Edwina Rowan explained the community would not tolerate breaches of domestic violence orders.

“... I also must send a message to the community that the community will not tolerate charges of contravening domestic violence orders and in particular, the nature of the contact between you and (the victim) was very concerning because it did exhibit sexually coercive behaviour,” she said.

“What is concerning... is that I have been told that you previously had the benefit of probation and in particular, you were sentenced to a period of probation for charges of contravening a domestic violence order in 2021.”

Ms Rowan said she had heard the defendant previously completed probation successfully, also completed a men‘s behavioural change program and had even started the course for a second time.

“What concerns me is that you‘d been given that opportunity on probation, you’ve completed the men’s behavioural change program at least once and yet you still continued with what can only be described as sexually coercive behaviour,” she said.

Ms Rowan said police had submitted the only appropriate penalty was prison.

The man, who pleaded guilty to the two breaches, received a head sentence of four months, to be wholly suspended for 18 months.

The defendant was released immediately.