Mackay man punished for grooming and sexting intellectually-impaired 15 year old

A Mackay man who called himself daddy has been punished for grooming an intellectually-impaired teen he called daddy’s little girl

Teenage girl looking unhappy

When police interrupted a man hanging out with a teenage girl at a park, they uncovered a "repugnant" case of exploitation.

It was October 12, 2019 and the man was on bail for prior offending.

Mackay District Court heard his phone had four posed images of an intellectually-disabled 15-year-old girl including in her underwear, nude and another exposing her genitalia.

Police also found four days of "sexualised messages" between the girl and a 24-year-old Mackay man.

He pleaded guilty to using an electronic communication with an intent to procure a person under 16 in a sexual act and knowingly possessing child exploitation material.

Crown prosecutor Elise Sargent said the man's grooming included messages asking her to have anal and oral sex.

"He attempted to minimise his criminality saying (to police) he was just going along with the text messages," Ms Sargent said.

Judge Leanne Clare said it was clear the man had encouraged the explicit exchanges.

"You engaged her in role-play, you referred to yourselves as daddy and daddy's little girl," Judge Clare told him.

"It was sex talk and a kidnap fantasy.

"You groomed her so that she was actually enthusiastic about the most repugnant exploitation."

 

Defence barrister Stephen Burn said the man had ceased schooling in Year 4 or 5 after his brother was shot.

"(He) instructs me that around the same time he was groomed by a male, a family friend," Mr Burn said.

"Following that grooming he was sexually assaulted by that man for about three years.

"It was about that time he commenced drugs, ice and cannabis."

Mr Burns said the accused man had since been diagnosed with having a low IQ and paranoid schizophrenia but he could not produce proof of the latter to the court.

He said his client had also recently applied to a drug rehabilitation course in Townsville but was turned away in light of his recent offending.

Mr Burns told Judge Leanne Clare his client had shown remorse.

But Judge Clare said the man had not only romanced the girl "for want of a better word" but then lied about it to police.

 

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Judge Clare said seducing a child into sex was inconsistent with delusional behaviour or schizophrenia.

"Until the time the police interrupted, there was a clear risk to this girl," she said.

Judge Clare said the man's level of offending posed a concern about how he would be monitored in the community, and strong deterrents were needed to protect children.

She sentenced him to two-and-a-half year's jail, which will be suspended after he has served nine months.

The now registered sex offender has already spent 249 days in pre-sentence custody.

The balance of the sentence will hang over his head for three years.

Judge Clare said she was giving the man time to arrange accommodation with his father in Proserpine as well as organise a rehabilitation program.

 

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Originally published as Mackay man punished for grooming and sexting intellectually-impaired 15 year old