‘Old’ paedophile groomed Mackay teens for sex
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: The 78-year-old convicted child sex offender tried to ‘prostitute’ young girls for money.
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WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
A DEPRAVED paedophile tried to groom two teen girls for sex including flashing his penis, offering money, suggesting "a quickie" and asking if one would "do an old man".
Small, frail and wrinkled, the 78-year-old man sat hunched in the Mackay District Court dock as his vile requests were detailed.
His two victims were aged 14 and 15 when they went to his Mackay home to help with chores between July 2018 and 2019.
For 11 months the elderly man, aged 75 to 76, repeatedly asked the 15 year old to engage in sexual acts, including mutual masturbation, for money.
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"He offered her between $70 and $200," Crown prosecutor Claudia Georgouras said.
"And during that time she repeatedly refused and told him that she was 15."
The court heard he persisted and would talk about "humping her", asked if "she'd do an old man", wear a G-string and if he could touch her.
He met the second victim through the first victim. He showed her his penis four times and offered her $150 for sexual conduct.
"He asked for a quickie and said she wouldn't get pregnant because he had no semen," Ms Georgouras said.
He pleaded guilty to grooming and indecent treatment of children under 16 and was jailed for three years.
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"You were trying to prostitute young girls … to perform sexual acts or allow you to perform sexual acts for money," Judge Deborah Richards said.
Shockingly this is not the first time the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been jailed for child sex offences with 10 convictions against four victims aged 11 to 15 between 1997 and 2000.
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Similarly he propositioned the girls, who were lured to his home to help out with domestic chores for money and presents, such as alcohol, cigarettes, food and perfume.
"Once he gained their trust he got them to massage him … and then he would massage them and touch their breasts," Ms Georgouras said, adding the abuse even resulted in sexual penetration.
Defence barrister Stephen Byrne said his client was a disability pensioner, who was very deaf.
"He is an old man with a number of health concerns," Mr Byrne said, adding these included heart issues, gout and low blood pressure.
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The court heard he had spent about 13 months in custody and about six months ago had a chest infection.
"Since that time he can only walk short distances otherwise he must use a wheelchair," Mr Byrne said, adding the offending featured low level physicality.
He pushed for a suspended sentence due to the man's health and age.
"Protection of the community however is fairly important," Judge Richards said, instead giving the man immediate parole eligibility because he had already spent 402 days in custody.
Convictions were recorded.
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