Kenneth Hugh Douglas pleads guilty at Gympie, Qld to child rape

This 70-year-old Qld man’s vile sexual abuse of two young boys included editing one’s face onto pornographic images and giving him sickening nicknames. *DISTRESSING

A 70-year-old man who heinously raped two young boys multiple times, giving one Viagra without telling him what it was, has been thrown behind bars for more than a decade over his “predatory” behaviour.

A 70-year-old man who heinously raped two young boys multiple times, giving one Viagra without telling him what it was, has been thrown behind bars for more than a decade over his “predatory” behaviour.

Kenneth Hugh Douglas’s shocking series of crimes against the youths was revealed during a two-hours-long sentencing at Gympie District Court where the victims and their family members were present on Tuesday.

Crown prosecutor Alex Stark said Douglas had engaged in “predatory exploitation” and “corruption” of the boys, one of whom was raped dozens of times.

On two occasions Douglas gave one of his victims the sex performance enhancer Viagra, once without telling him what the drug was.

Kenneth Hugh Douglas’s shocking series of crimes against the youths were revealed during a two-hours-long sentencing at Gympie District Court Tuesday at which the victims, and their family members, were present.

Mr Stark told the court Douglas had preyed on the young boy in part because he knew he suffered from anxiety.

Douglas also photoshopped the boy's face onto abusive material and gave him nicknames such as “pumpkin muffin”, “little chicken” and “sexy”, the court heard.

His abuse of the younger of boy occurred on the one night while the youth was sleeping over.

Mr Stark said this included taking photos of the boy while he slept and committing a gross act over him, only interrupted when the victim woke up.

One of the boys walked out of the court for a time as the shocking details of Douglas’s offending were read aloud by Mr Stark.

Defence barrister Amelia Loode said Douglas was born in Charleville, had lived on the Sunshine Coast, and worked at a number of careers in his life, including as a landscaper and manager of a resort.

For a time, he had been a member of a political party, the court heard.

He had no previous criminal history.

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Kenneth Hugh Douglas covers his face as he leaves Gympie District Court after being jailed for 12 years over the rape of two young boys.

Judge Glen Cash rejected suggestions Douglas had not fully comprehended the extent of the harm he was causing to his victims by his offending.

He said Douglas had given “no indication of remorse” and had even gone so far at times to suggest his victim may have contributed to his offending.

Judge Cash lashed Douglas for his “lack of insight” into his own “predatory behaviour” and the damage it had caused to his victims and their family members.

“No sentence … can in any way balance the harm,” Judge Cash said.

Douglas, who had spent 593 days in presentence custody, pleaded guilty to 31 counts of rape, three counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16, and making and possessing child exploitation material.

He sentenced Douglas to 12 years’ jail and declared him a serious violent offender which required the 70-year-old to serve 80 per cent of his sentence before being eligible for release on parole.