Billy-Joe Adam Rea pleads guilty in Mackay court to six counts of sexual assault

A wagyu beef property manager who sexually assaulted two women has paid his victims a whopping sum, but his lawyer argued it was not a move to ‘buy his way out of jail’.

Billy-Joe Adam Rea, of Rea Pastoral Company, pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault against two women.

A man who sexually assaulted two women has paid his victims a whopping $50,000 each, although his lawyer argued it was not a move to “buy his way out of jail”.

The wagyu beef property manager inappropriately touched two young woman who were staying and working on the Lotus Creek station, about 175km south of Mackay, at different times.

Mackay District Court heard the 44-year-old married father of two took advantage of the vulnerable and isolated women three separate times each when he was alone with them in his role as manager at Rea Pastoral Company property.

Billy-Joe Adam Rea, of Rea Pastoral Company, pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault against two women.

Billy-Joe Adam Rea pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault – the offending involved non skin on skin touching.

Judge Gregory Lynham labelled the offending as “persistent accompanied by other sexual behaviour”.

“You clearly had a sexual interest that you were prepared to act on,” Judge Lynham said.

Crown prosecutor Elise Sargent submitted for a jail term between six and 12 months with Rea to serve one third behind bars.

But Brisbane silk Jeffrey Hunter, for Rea, pushed for a non-custodial sentence arguing his client had entered early pleas and the offending was at the lower end for a sexual assault charge, but prefaced the latter by saying it was not trivialising the crimes.

The court heard Rea was willing to pay compensation totalling $100,000 to his victims – the money was sitting in a trust.

The court heard one of the victim’s had accepted the offer of compensation, while the crown was still trying to get in touch with the other.

Mr Hunter said this offer was not Rea “buying his way out of jail” but demonstrative of his remorse.

The courts can accept an offer of compensation as powerful evidence of remorse and a deciding factor in any decision to suspend jail.

Mr Hunter said this offer was an “attempt by him to atone for the wrong that he has done and the harm that he has caused”.

The court heard he had already paid $5500 to attend a sexual offenders course early next year and there had been no suggestion of any reoffending since he had been on bail.

Judge Lynham said he was “persuaded” to wholly suspend the jail term.

Rea was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, which will hang over his head for the next two years.

He was ordered to pay $50,000 compensation to each victim.

Convictions were recorded.