Johnathon Wayne Kliendienst: Serial predator, taxi driver jailed after sending vile messages to 15yo girl

A taxi driver started sending disturbing texts and videos to his teenage victim the same night he dropped her home, asking for nude photos and telling the girl to ‘come jump on’ while shirtless.

A serial predator and taxi driver who sent a teenage girl a series of vile messages asking for nude photos and other sexual favours after dropping her to her home has been sentenced in the Warwick court to jail.

Johnathon Wayne Kliendienst was working as a cab driver in Stanthorpe on the evening of August 18 last year when his 15-year-old victim approached his vehicle at the taxi rank and asked for a lift home.

Warwick District Court was told that the now-40-year-old then added the girl on Snapchat that night, using the social media platform to send her a series of sexually explicit messages.

Crown prosecutor Hamish McIntyre said Kliendienst sent his victim a video of him miming performing oral sex, telling his victim he was “going to do that to (her)”, and sent a shirtless photo of himself with the caption, “Come jump on”.

Johnathon Wayne Kliendienst, 40, was sentenced in Warwick District Court to jail after sending a series of sexually explicit messages to a 15-year-old girl. Photo: Facebook

He said the Stanthorpe man also sent the teenager a message saying, “Are you wet?” and asked to see her genitalia.

“There was a message to (the girl) asking what she was wearing, and when she told him, he said, ‘You’re a naughty girl’,” Mr McIntyre said.

“There was another message that said, ‘Can I see you naked?’, and he also told her to delete those things in addition to not taking copies of them.”

The court was told the victim realised the next day that Kliendienst’s conduct was inappropriate and the exchange was reported to police.

Mr McIntyre said the Stanthorpe man’s criminal history in both Queensland and New South Wales showed the man had been convicted of several serious and similar offences in the early 2000s, including stalking and assault with acts of indecency.

He said Kliendienst had followed a woman for a lengthy period of time before reaching a secluded area and forcing a kiss on her, and had later driven alongside a young woman who was walking down the street, first wolf-whistling at her and waggling his tongue before yelling, “Come this way and f —k me”.

Kliendienst also faced court in Stanthorpe after calling an Eagle Boys pizza restaurant and asking the female staff member who answered the phone for the price of her genitalia.

Defence barrister Jens Streit acknowledged the father of three’s history of sexual offending, and said Kliendienst’s volunteer work with Stanthorpe sports clubs and the SES showed he had made meaningful contributions to the community.

He also submitted a letter from a friend of Kliendienst’s of several years among other references and reports, which detailed the person’s surprise at finding out the Stanthorpe man had been charged with such offences.

Mr Streit said Kliendienst was a father to three boys, with the eldest supporting him from the courtroom gallery, and had plans to relocate to Hervey Bay and live with his partner after his release from custody.

“Unfortunately as a consequence of what’s happened, he has lost his employment, because he can’t retain a Blue Card and won’t be able to retain a Blue Card as a consequence of his plea,” he said.

“So there will be an employment consequence to him that will flow from these matters that will – of course, along with everything else – sit with him for the rest of at least his employment life.

“He has been a contributor to the community and he has, in my submission, good prospects for the future.”

Judge Michael Burnett told Kliendienst his victim would now struggle to trust others, and that he no longer had the benefit of youth or a lack of previous offending.

“It’s plain from my review of your criminal history that inappropriate sexual behaviour has been a feature of your offending now for the best part of 20 years,” he said.

“I’m conscious of the hiatus in the earlier offending and this particular offending, which suggests you could have the capacity to engage positively in the community and in a lawful manner.”

Kliendienst pleaded guilty to one count of using electronic communication to procure a child under 16.

He was sentenced to nine months’ jail, which will be wholly suspended for 18 months after he serves three months in custody.

The Stanthorpe man will also be registered as a reportable offender.