Ex-jet ski hire owner Jacques Van Niekerk jailed for child sexual abuse crimes

A married man has been jailed for his predatory behaviour against two young children who he met through his jet ski business.

Jacques Van Niekerk faced Maroochydore District Court from custody on Monday. Picture: Patrick Woods

A former jet ski hire business owner has languished in jail for more than a year after his predatory sexual abuse of two young girls during a ride on his aquatic crafts was uncovered.

Judge Vicki Loury KC said Jacques Van Niekerk orchestrated for the two young girls, aged just 10 and 11, to ride with him during jet ski rides at his Sunshine Coast business in late 2023 and early 2024 which enabled the deviant offences to occur.

Maroochydore District Court was told the extent of the South-African-born man’s crimes on Monday after his pleas of guilty to two counts of indecent treatment of children, two of making child exploitation material, and one each of possessing child exploitation material and contravening an order to open his phone.

Crown prosecutor Joshua Morris said the first batch of offending began when the 11-year-old girl and her parents booked a jet ski ride at the 56-year-old’s business.

Mr Morris said Van Niekerk organised for the young girl to ride with him while her parents were on another jet ski.

The court was told during this ride the Mooloolah Valley man indecently touched the girl’s thigh while taking inappropriate pictures, unbeknown to her.

His next offending involved even more brazen and predatory crimes, this time on a 10-year-old girl who went with relatives to hire jet skis on a separate occasion.

Van Niekerk usd to run his own jet ski hire business. Picture: Instagram

Van Niekerk reduced the cost of the jet ski hire by $100 so the group would take part under condition the younger girl would ride with him on his aquatic vehicle.

The court was told the once married man indecently touched the girl and took inappropriate pictures and videos of her during the jet ski ride on his phone.

He also extended an extra hour to continue his offending, Mr Morris said.

The Mooloolah Valley man’s heinous crimes against children were only uncovered when his wife at the time found a video of the second victim on his phone and reported it to authorities.

Police raided Van Niekerk’s former business on February 3 last year however he only provided the PIN code to one of his phones and refused to give officers access to his other device.

Overall police found 100 images of both young girls and six videos which equated to child exploitation material.

He pleaded guilty to all charges. Picture: Patrick Woods

He was remanded in custody where he spent 16 and a half months behind bars before his sentence hearing on Monday.

Mr Morris said there was a distinct predatory aspect to Van Niekerk’s crimes, which involved a degree of calculation, engineering and manipulation.

Defence barrister David Funch said the South African born man moved to Australia in 2003 and worked several jobs in his life before the jet ski business.

Mr Funch said the offending came at a time where his client’s marriage was unravelling and was a functioning alcoholic. The court was told she no longer spoke to him.

The 56-year-old recognised his crimes were “absolutely disgraceful”, with the court being told how the Mooloolah Valley man wanted to be a pastor after he rediscovered his faith.

In sentencing Judge Loury said he targeted the young girls who were unknown to him in an “orchestrated” way in front of their own parents.

“Your offending in relation to these girls was predatory, it was planned, and it was brazen,” Judge Loury said.

“I suspect you have a deviant, sexual interest in children.”

She also emphasised how he gave no explanation for the charges or why he did not open his phone.

Van Niekerk was jailed for four-and-a-half years, but due to 506 days behind bars, he was given a parole eligibility date of Monday.