North Queensland bus driver sentenced over abusing schoolgirls

A North Queensland bus driver and sports coach who abused three schoolgirls told them not to tell others of his nefarious acts against them, a court has heard.

The man was found guilty by jury to abusing and grooming three NQ students.

A North Queensland bus driver who abused three schoolgirls told them not to tell anyone about his nefarious acts against them, a court has heard.

The three girls – who were aged 12 at the time – were abused by a 60-year-old man on multiple occasions during a two-week period in 2020.

The man, who cannot legally be named, was employed as a bus driver and sports coach at a North Queensland school at the time of the offences.

The man was recently found guilty after a jury trial to five counts of indecent treatment of children under 16 as a guardian or carer, and two counts of grooming a child under 16 years with the intent to procure engagement in a sexual act.

Townsville District Court on Tuesday heard that while the man was driving the bus he asked the girls to come to the front of the vehicle and open their legs, before trying to push open one of the girls’ legs.

The man was found guilty by jury to abusing and grooming three NQ students.

The court was told that there were two occasions where the man told one of the girls she should touch his penis.

He also placed her hand on his genitalia, and touched her inappropriately outside of her clothes.

It was heard he also touched the girls on the buttocks during exercise classes, and told them not to reveal his actions to anyone.

Crown prosecutor Thomasina Papadimitriou submitted a four year jail term for the offending.

Defence barrister Ted Bassett argued for a six-month jail term for his client.

He told the court of his client’s “very good” working history, the presence of multiple personal supporters in the court’s public gallery, and that he had raised three daughters.

Noting his client’s dated and unrelated criminal history, he submitted the offending had been an “aberration”.

But the impact of the offending on the girls was brought to light when two victim impact statements, written by their mothers, were shared to the court.

One mother described her daughter’s as coming home “broken” and with “no passion” for anything, and that it had broken her heart thinking she could not protect her daughter.

The second echoed sentiments of not being able to protect her child from the man.

Judge John Coker said it was clear the man had been in a “position of trust” at the school, and the girls had “respected and trusted” him and that a plea of not guilty had shown a lack of remorse for his actions.

He was sentenced to two years’ jail with a parole eligibility date set in September 2023.

Originally published as North Queensland bus driver sentenced over abusing schoolgirls