John Gerard Starmer jailed for maintaining a sexual relationship with boy aged 13-14

A former Townsville car salesman who preyed on a teenage boy behind closed doors went to the boy’s workplace with letters and cash, even after his offending had been exposed.

John Starmer (right) walks from Townsville Courthouse after an earlier appearance.

A former Townsville car salesman who preyed upon a teenage boy behind closed doors showed up at the boy’s workplace with letters and cash, even after his offending had been exposed.

The once salesman and church greeter, John Gerard Starmer, will spend the next six months behind bars after he pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child.

Townsville District Court heard that after meeting the boy – who was aged 13 to 14 – and his family through a local church in 2019, Starmer, 65, invited him to his home to do chores.

On multiple occasions spanning about three months between January 2019 and February 2020, Starmer would persuade the boy to swim in his pool naked, where he would then hug and try to kiss the boy while nude.

It was heard Starmer would shower with the boy, where he washed the boy’s hair and twice used a showerhead to spray the boy’s genitalia to try and “get it hard”.

John Starmer (right) walks from Townsville Courthouse after an earlier appearance.

On another occasion, Starmer asked the boy to lie on top of him naked and told him he “didn’t get skin to skin contact like this”.

Crown prosecutor Rana Aldas said Starmer massaged the boy while nude – but when he asked to massage the boy’s penis and buttocks, he said no.

The court heard Starmer became “nagging” and complained after the boy said no.

Starmer also sent 15 emails to the boy where he would sign “love, John”, refer to the boy as “his prince” and wrote: “Remember I would want your company if you want? You could earn some money”.

The boy’s family put a stop to Starmer’s contact with their son after the emails were exposed, but months later he showed up at the boy’s work with a letter and money.

The note instructed the boy to destroy the letter and “keep it between themselves”.

It was then the boy made a complaint to police, but Starmer again went to his work and delivered $80 cash.

John Starmer pleaded guilty to a single count of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child.

The court was told Starmer was not to be sentenced for those interactions.

The boy said in his impact statement that the offending had left him “angry, sad, betrayed and revolted”.

“He details the thought of someone touching him enrages him, and he worries a great deal,” Ms Aldas said.

In an early psychiatrists’ report, Starmer was heard not to have recognised his behaviour and even said he had seen the child “as a man”.

Barrister Harvey Walters told the court his client had suffered a “lifelong struggle” with his sexuality, had faced “public shaming” from his proceedings, and had sold his family home.

The court heard Starmer had completed a sexual offenders treatment program and was deemed to be at a low risk of reoffending.

Starmer was sentenced to two and a half years jail, suspended after six months.

Originally published as John Gerard Starmer jailed for maintaining a sexual relationship with boy aged 13-14