Acacia Ridge man, 21, sentenced for sexual offending against ‘vulnerable’ 14-year-old

A mentally vulnerable teen suffers ongoing trauma after she had to kick a young man in the head to get him out of her bed when she was 14 years old, a court has heard.

A mentally vulnerable 14-year-old groomed into sex with cask wine by a 19-year-old man had to kick him in the head to get him out of her bed when his illegal advances persisted, a court has heard.

Appearing at Beenleigh District Court on Friday the now 21-year-old man of Acacia Ridge pleaded guilty to two counts of carnal knowledge of a child under 16 years, and a single count of indecent treatment of a child under 16.

The court heard the then 19-year-old man lured a 14-year-old female with cask wine to a vehicle on May 16, 2020 at a Logan residence, where he would have unprotected illegal but “consensual” sex with her.

He then followed her to her bed where he again had sex with her on the same night, the court was told.

The defendant was aware of his victim’s age and also knew that, although she was not mentally impaired, she was of low to average IQ and suffered from ADHD and other mental disorders, which made her especially vulnerable, according to the prosecution.

Two nights later, on May 18, the victim woke to find him in her bed.

The defendant outside Beenleigh District Court after his sentencing. Picture: Marcel Baum.

He persisted and touched her only to leave when the victim kicked him in the head.

A victim impact statement read to the court detailed how the victim now does not trust herself, suffers ongoing nightmares and leads a fractured family life as a result of the combined trauma.

The defendant spent 10 and a half months in jail after he breached his bail on two occasions.

The court heard he sent sexually disparaging and threatening text messages to the victim and another person after his offending was reported to police.

Defence barrister John Cook said his client had graduated Year 12 after emigrating to Australia in 2004 and worked on a casual basis as a landscaper.

According to Mr Cook, the defendant had made frank admissions to police and pleaded guilty without his victim having to be re-traumatised during a trial.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren said sexual offending against vulnerable young people is “always bad” and must attract terms of actual imprisonment.

The victim’s ongoing trauma was acknowledged as having a “very deep effect” on her and could persist for years.

The defendant was sentenced to 18 months’ prison which was suspended after having served 319 days, over an operational period of two years.

Should he reoffend in the next two years, he could be imprisoned for the remaining seven and a half months, the court was told.

He was further sentenced to two years’ probation with a conviction recorded.