Southern Downs man jailed for seven years after found guilty of child abuse following trial in Warwick District Court

A Queensland man has been found guilty of sick and ‘grotesque’ sex offences against a child, including repeated assault and threats with a gun. But he won’t be spending long in jail. WARNING: Disturbing content

A Granite Belt man has been found guilty of child sex offences. Picture: iStock

The sick offending of a Southern Downs man, who was labelled as “deplorable” by a judge, has learnt his fate for his “grotesque” child sex crimes.

The man – who cannot be named for legal reasons - had pleaded not guilty to a total of 11 charges on July 31 in Warwick District Court.

However late on Friday afternoon the jury returned a verdict, finding the man guilty of eight charges relating to one boy; five counts of rape, and one charge each of maintaining sexual relations with a child, assault with intent to rape and threatening violence.

The Crown alleged there were three victims the man offended against, however, the jury acquitted him on the other charges which related to the other two boys.

The man, now aged 39, was born in Tenterfield and spent majority of his life in the Granite Belt where the offending occurred.

Crown prosecutor Tegan Little noted the victim was only five years old when offending first began, and that the man was in a “position of authority,” and that there was a “significant breach of trust” with the offending.

Following one instance of the man’s sexual offending against the boy, he pulled a pistol and threatened to shoot the child if he dared tell anyone about the man’s actions, which the Crown noted was an “aggravating” circumstance needed for consideration.

“The offending occurred in the family home, this is a place where he should have felt safe. There is a lack of remorse here,” Ms Little said.

The man entered the courtroom in cuffs, and didn’t speak during the near two hour sentencing, shaking his head whenever the Crown would detail his offending.

Judge Terry Gardiner was quick to agree with Ms Little’s sentencing remarks, noting that there was an extreme “breach of a position of authority and trust to a young child”.

“Your use of violence is deplorable. You threatened to kill a child if he exposed your offending,” Judge Gardiner told the man.

“You emotionally manipulated a child to suit your own grotesque ends. This is serious.

“I have little doubt your acts would traumatise him, and will continue to traumatise him throughout his life.”

The man was sentenced to a head sentence of seven years imprisonment, with 16 months in custody recognised as time served.

He is expected to be eligible for parole on October 7, 2025.