Harold Ernest Lawrence faces Ipswich District Court on child sex offences

A 59-year-old man who faced court over the abuse of a boy used his wife as a shield in an attempt to avoid media after his case was heard.

A 59-year-old man has avoided jail time due to “exceptional circumstances” after pleading guilty to molesting a teenage boy in 1997.

Harold Ernest Lawrence was 35 and 36 when he assaulted the 13-year-old boy four times over the course of a year.

The Ipswich District Court heard how the victim has tried to forget and suppress memories of the assaults, at times turning to alcohol and drugs to cope.

Crown prosecutor Amanda Robinson said Lawrence committed the offending on unknown dates in 1997 at a house in Laidley Heights.

She said Lawrence touched the victim’s genitals over his clothing twice and underneath it once.

On one occasion Lawrence showed the boy magazines before performing a sex act over his pyjamas and another time he masturbated over the boy’s shorts.

Harold Ernest Lawrence, 59, leaves Ipswich District Court after he was sentenced on child sex offences dating back to 1997.

Supported in court by his wife of seven years, Lawrence pleaded guilty on Monday to three counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and one count of indecent treatment of a child under 16 – expose.

The court heard Lawrence was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in 2003, which saw his lower abdomen “split in two.”

Defence barrister Douglas Wilson said Lawrence suffered injuries to his abdomen, spine, genitals and tailbone.

As a result of his injuries, Mr Wilson said Lawrence has no sexual function or “sensation” in his penis.

He said it was “not surprising” Lawrence had not committed further offending against children given his injuries.

Harold Ernest Lawrence, 59, hid behind his wife as they left Ipswich District Court on Monday after he was sentenced for child sex offences.

Lawrence cannot stand for long periods of time and needs a walking stick, and must go to the toilet every two hours otherwise he regularly soils himself.

Mr Douglas said the injuries were worsening with age and his “exceptional circumstances” would make serving actual time in custody difficult.

Ms Robinson said Lawrence had entered a late plea but it was still in his favour as they avoided going to trial.

She said Lawrence was a mature offender with a relevant criminal history of child sex offences occurring around the same period, for which he was sentenced in 2006.

She said the court must treat each of his previous relevant convictions as aggravating factors in the current charges before the court.

Harold Ernest Lawrence, 59, leaves Ipswich District Court with his wife after he was sentenced on child sex offences dating back to 1997.

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren said Lawrence’s victim struggled for many years before coming forward, which he said was understandable and “sadly commonplace” in sexual assault victims.

He said the victim’s impact statement described how he felt angry and “hated the world”

The court heard the victim turned to drugs and alcohol and tried to forget the molestation but it “couldn’t be suppressed” in his mind.

Judge Horneman-Wren said Lawrence was unlikely to reoffend given he has no sexual function and that his prospects of rehabilitation seemed good.

Lawrence was given an 18 month head sentence to be suspended immediately for two years.

One day of presentence custody was declared as time served.