Mackay region man sentenced over indecent treatment of child and child exploitation material

A young Mackay man who groped and kissed his partner’s underage sister and was later found with child exploitation material still has the support of his girlfriend four years later.

A Mackay man who committed sexual acts on his girlfriend’s underage sister still has the support of his partner despite admissions of guilt.

A Mackay man who committed sexual acts on his girlfriend’s underage sister still has the support of his partner despite admissions of guilt.

A man kissed and groped his girlfriend’s 12-year-old sister between the months of January 1 and July 30, 2020.

The Mackay District Court this week heard that on one occasion he kissed her, and she did not kiss him back and, on another occasion, he asked to see her chest and in response, she lifted her top and he groped her.

When the girl denied further advances, he stopped, the court heard.

“He told her that he had urges that he was trying to take out on her,” Crown prosecutor Monique Sheppard said.

“She requested to leave the room and he demanded a hug from her before she could do that.

“She seemed confused about these behaviours towards her.”

The court heard the man was struggling with mental health issues when he committed the offending.

Defence Barrister Scott Moon said he felt significant remorse for the offending and presented himself to a police station on January 10, 2024 when police searched his phone and found child exploitation material.

“He puts it down to very bad decision making, poor judgement at the time and perhaps not in the right head space throughout his life,” Mr Moon said.

“There’s been no other like offending in this particular case in that four-year period.”

The man’s girlfriend was present in court and wrote a character reference in support of him.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 16 and one count of possessing child exploitation material.

Judge John Coker said it was “very rare” a case came before the court as the result of a defendant’s remorse.

“It was clearly something that played on your mind for nearly four years,” Judge Coker said.

The court heard the man had a difficult upbringing and was struggling with mental health issues at the time of the offending.

“This wrong behaviour is something that can be explained, not excused, but explained as a result of the various traumas that have been detailed to me,” Judge Coker said.

“You are not burdened with any form of criminal history.
“There is little, if any, prospect of you reoffending.”

He was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, which was suspended with an operational period of 12 months and convictions were recorded.

“There are exceptional circumstances … obviously your pleas of guilty are significant but of course there needs to be punishment,” Judge Coker said.

“I suspect you are determined to not reoffend.”