Sex offender fails to report contact with children

Judge warns offender if he doesn’t complete the sex offender courses, he will be made to in jail

A MAN found guilty by a jury of historical child sex abuse against his cousins when he was aged 14-19 has breached his suspended sentence and probation by failing to report interaction with children and not completing sex offender course.

The man was 45 when he was convicted in Rockhampton District Court in October 2018 after a trial in August 2018 where the jury found him guilty.

He was back in court on May 7 where he was given a harsh warning by Judge Michael Burnett - if he continues to fail to report, disengage with probation and not complete the courses; he will be made to do the courses in jail.

The man was given a head sentence of 18 months' imprisonment, suspended after five months with a three-year operational period, and probation for two years in 2018.

READ MORE: Prison time for man found guilty of past sexual abuse

The historical offending involved five counts with three female cousins as the victims, each between six and nine years his junior, on multiple occasions in the 1980s and 1990s.

READ MORE: Teen boy: 'that's what cousins do' after alleged sexual acts

The court heard during the trial the defendant lured a four-year-old cousin to the ground floor to play a game before demanding she take off her pants.

When the girl refused, the defendant said "that's what cousins do" before he digitally penetrated her.

On one occasion, the man (who was at the time a juvenile himself) touched his nine-year-old cousin's breast.

On another occasion, he put his hand underneath his cousin's bikini top and fondled her breasts.

Once during a game of hide and seek, the man told his seven-year-old cousin he was allowed to touch her vagina because they were related.

Defence barrister Tom Polley said his client moved in with his parents in July, was looking for work and was trying to sell the marital home.

"He has since set up electronic reminders," he said.

Judge Burnett extended the operational period of the suspended sentence by six months.