Man faces Rockhampton court for indecent treatment offence at Biloela

A court has heard how a girl froze in fear as she woke to find a man touching her while she was at a sleepover at her friend’s house.

A man has been jailed after he touched a young girl during a sleepover.

A court has heard how a girl froze in fear as she woke to find a man touching her breasts while she was at a sleepover at her friend’s house.

The man, 19, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court to two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and two counts of carnal knowledge.

All of the offending happened at Biloela.

Crown prosecutor Matthew Sutton said the two girls, aged 14 and 15, were known to the man.

In October, the 15-year-old was sleeping over at her friend’s house and woke to the man touching her breasts.

Mr Sutton said the man then reached into her underwear and started touching her genitals.

The court heard the girl “froze in panic” as the man continued to touch her for five to 10 minutes.

The touching stopped when the girl left the room in tears.

The court heard the man and the 14-year-old girl had consensual sexual intercourse in August last year.

In October that same year he kissed the girl and took photos on his phone, with one of the photos showing his tongue in her mouth.

Mr Sutton told the court the man had no criminal history, but had accumulated some entries for non-related offences, at the time of the offending.

The man’s barrister, Sheridan Shaw, told the court her client had other alleged matters that were to be dealt with in the magistrates court later in the week.

Ms Shaw submitted to the court the more serious offence was the incident where the girl was touched while she was sleeping because of her “vulnerability”.

The court heard the man would become a reportable offender as a result of the sentence.

Judge William Everson took into account the man’s plea of guilty when sentencing.

“Quite simply, any sexual offending involving young girls warrants sentences that are reflective of considerations of both general and specific deterrence,” he said.

“I’m also imposing these sentences to make clear that the community, acting through the courts, absolutely denounces this sort of offending.”

The man was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment to be wholly suspended after serving 342 days.

The 342 days of presentence custody was declared as time already served.