Zac Tomas Riggall sentenced for rape

A former Sunshine Coast Grammar student says he is “riddled with guilt” after he ignored a girl’s pleas for him to stop raping her. Read how he was punished:

A former Sunshine Coast Grammar student who says he is “riddled with guilt” has been jailed after he ignored a girl’s pleas for him to stop raping her.

Zac Tomas Riggall will serve 18 months of a five-year sentence behind bars after he pleaded guilty in Maroochydore District Court on Friday to three counts of rape in August, 2020.

The court heard Riggall, a former McDonald’s worker, had offered to look after the drunk girl who had fallen asleep in his bed after a night out.

Judge Bernard Porter said the girl woke up to Riggall digitally raping her.

“She told you to stop four or five times and said ‘I think I'm going to throw up’, but you continued for about a minute and eventually she fell back asleep having told you to stop,” he said.

Mr Porter said the then 23-year-old later had sex with the girl for three to five minutes as she said “stop”.

“She tried to push you away, but didn't have the strength to do so,” he said.

“She kept her eyes closed and kept shaking her head from side to side.”

The next morning Riggall again ignored her pleas for him to stop when he digitally raped her for 30 seconds.

Mr Porter said the girl’s friends were concerned about her and asked Mr Riggall “not to do anything” before leaving her in his care.

“You told them as they were leaving that you had taken care of drunk 18-year-old’s before and that you were going to sleep on the couch,” he said.

The court heard Riggall said he knew the girl wasn’t in “mindful state” to give consent during a recorded conversation between him and the victim.

Crown prosecutor Greg Cummings said Riggall’s offending was made worse by his the continuation on three occasions.

“Not only was … (the girl) vulnerable and we have concrete circumstances that Mr Riggall knew she was vulnerable, but he also assumed a position of responsibility for her and violated that as well,” he said.

Mr Cummings asked for a six-year prison sentence to be imposed with a parole eligibility date after Riggall served two years.

He rejected the possibility of the sentence being suspended after less than a third, stating it would not reflect the seriousness of the offending.

“It is a common thing that people go out and be social and they consume too much alcohol, but when they are vulnerable they should not be sexually violated …,” Mr Cummings said.

Zac Tomas Riggall will serve 18 months of a five-year sentence behind bars. Picture: Social media

Barrister Scott Lynch described Riggall as being “riddled with guilt” since the offending and was contrite towards the victim.

“From the bottom of my heart I regret every action I've ever done in that regard,” Riggall said during the recorded conversation with the victim.

Mr Lynch said Riggall was genuinely remorseful for the adverse impacts his actions had on not only the victim but the victim’s family and his own family.

“He expects he will be guilt ridden for life, he can't see any great future for himself because of the offending …,” Mr Lynch said.

The court heard Riggall, described as a quiet person, had no criminal history and was supported by his family.

“This was an unfortunate incident that took place that was a complete aberration for him,” Mr Lynch said.

Mr Lynch said the now 24-year-old had drastically reduced his drinking since the offences and written an apology letter to the victim.

He asked Judge Porter to impose a prison sentence of five years and suspend it after Riggall served less than 20 months.

Mr Lynch said Riggall didn’t need the supervision upon release.

Mr Porter described the former McDonald’s worker as an immature 23-year-old at the time of the offending and said he socialised with much younger friends.

He said he believed Riggall was “highly unlikely” to reoffend in any way.

Given his immature personality and pleas of guilty Mr Porter suspended the five-year prison sentence after 18 months.

“It is a merciful sentence for this offending,” he said.

Mr Porter said the decision to suspend the prison sentence was a difficult one.