Convicted rapist in court for creepy kiss at Gympie store

His criminal history dates back to 1990.

CONVICTED: Douglas John Wieland (left) and solicitor Chris Anderson leave Gympie Magistrates Court yesterday. Picture: Scott Kovacevic

A CONVICTED rapist with a long history of assaulting women has been convicted of repeatedly kissing a 17-year-old girl at the Jones Hill Store without her consent.

Douglas John Wieland, 48, was sentenced in Gympie Magistrates Court yesterday on a charge of common assault after he approached the girl at the service station and leant through her driver's side window while she was still in her car on March 21.

Wieland had previously been arraigned and pleaded guilty to the assault charge.

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Police prosecutor Sergeant Lisa Manns told the court Wieland had a brief conversation with the victim at 11:25am that day before he leaned through her open window, and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

According to the victim's statement recounted in court by Sgt Manns, she then obliged Wieland's request for her to kiss him on the cheek because she was frightened of what would happen if she said no.

Wieland asked for another kiss, this time on the lips, but the victim told him "no, I don't think so" and attempted to drive away from him, the court heard.

He then made her feel "extremely uncomfortable" when he walked alongside her moving car and approached her when she got out of the car, putting both his arms around her waist, hugging her, leaning in and kissing her on the lips.

Wieland finally walked to his vehicle and left the service station, leaving the victim "upset" by the incident and causing her to seek counselling.

The teen said she gave "no authority or permission for anyone to touch or kiss her".

Police later identified Wieland through CCTV footage and requested an interview with him, where he confessed.

Wieland's solicitor Chris Anderson suggested Magistrate Chris Callaghan give the father of two up to three years probation on the condition he undergo counselling.

Mr Anderson said his client had expressed "clear remorse" for his behaviour and had written a letter of apology to the victim.

Mr Callaghan cited Wieland's extensive criminal history dating way back to 1990, and including charges of aggravated assault, common assault and stalking.

Wieland was sentenced to nine years' jail for a rape conviction in 1991, the court heard.

Mr Callaghan detailed a "strikingly similar" common assault charge in 2006, in which Wieland approached a woman placing groceries in her vehicle and tried to strike up a conversation with her before grabbing her and kissing her on the lips.

He was given 18 months' probation for that assault, and was granted bail in November 2006 for stalking yet another woman, approaching her on three separate occasions and at one point scaring her so much she sought refuge in a shop.

"This behaviour is frightening, you've got to do something to control it," Mr Callaghan told Wieland.

He sentenced Wieland to eight months' jail wholly suspended for two years, and ordered he not contact the victim or go within 100m of her.