Central Qld mine worker sentenced for indecent treatment of stepsister

A Central Queensland mine worker has been sentenced for an indecent treatment offence he committed against his stepsister when he was a teenager.

A man was sentenced in the District Court at Gladstone after pleading guilty to one count of indecent treatment of a child under 12 (domestic violence offence). Generic image.

A Central Queensland miner has been sentenced for an offence he committed against his stepsister when he was a teenager.

The man was sentenced in the District Court at Gladstone after pleading guilty to one count of indecent treatment of a child under 12 (domestic violence offence).

The court heard he was aged 16 or 17 when he offended against his stepsister who was eight or nine years old at the time.

They lived together at a Gladstone region home.

The court heard the girl woke up about 3am one morning and had to go to the toilet.

On her way there, she had to go through the lounge room and her stepbrother was still awake and sitting on the couch.

The court was told the teen boy told his stepsister that he had downloaded a movie and asked her if she wanted to watch it with him.

The girl said she did want to watch it.

The boy then invited his stepsister to go to his bedroom to watch the movie with him.

Once inside the bedroom, the shirtless boy closed the door, pulled down his shorts and underwear, and told his stepsister it was hot while exposing his body to her.

The court heard the girl looked away once she saw her stepbrother’s genitals and the two of them got onto the bed.

Gladstone Courthouse.

It was told the girl avoided looking at him and just looked at the laptop where the movie was to play.

The movie did not work and the boy asked his stepsister if she wanted to play a game of “truth or dare”.

The boy then said: “Would you rather hold my penis for five seconds or French kiss me for five seconds?”

The girl said “neither” and she got up to leave the room with nothing further happening.

The Crown said the girl told her mum and stepfather what had happened and in 2021, a complaint was made to police.

The court heard the man had no criminal history and he was currently working in the mining industry.

Judge Jeff Clarke said he was obliged to impose no greater penalty than what may have been given had this matter been dealt with at the time when the man was a child.

Judge Clarke also said he was satisfied that “exceptional circumstances” had been shown and noted it was a non-contact offence.

He placed the man on a nine-month good behaviour order with a $750 recognisance.

No conviction was recorded.