Max Edwards: Marsden man walks free after having sex with child

A Logan man who had sex with a young girl he met on social media has been placed on probation and escaped a conviction.

A Logan man who had sex with a 14-year-old girl, despite knowing her age, a week after meeting her on social media has escaped jail and the recording of a conviction.

Marsden man Max Patrick Edwards, 21, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh District Court on Thursday to a single count of carnal knowledge of a child under the age of 16.

The court heard the offence occurred the night of 10 – 11 February last year at Edwards’ residence.

Marsden man Max Patrick Edwards, 21. Picture: Facebook

Edwards and the young girl met on social media app Wink where they shortly realised they “lived in a similar area” to each other.

Crown Prosecutor Elizabeth Kelso told the court among other things they discussed online was the victim’s high school.

The first time the pair met was at Edwards’ residence where they “watched a movie and kissed”, the court heard.

Then, on the evening of 10 – 11 February, Edwards called an Uber to collect his victim from her place and take her to his.

“They began kissing and ultimately had sexual intercourse on the couch,” Ms Kelso said.

The pair were interrupted when “her mother began ringing the complainant incessantly”.

When Edwards dropped her home, the mother wrangled information from her daughter about where she’d been and with whom.

After extracting a confession, the mother went and confronted Edwards, asking him, “What have you done with my daughter?”, the court heard.

Edwards denied to the mother having sexual intercourse, but in a subsequent pretext phone conversation he admitted to having “protected” sex with her, an admission he subsequently tried to walk back in his interview with police.

Judge Craig Chowdhury was ultimately persuaded to spare Edwards jail and a recorded conviction.

Factors which led him to this decision included that Edwards wore a condom, the victim consented to the sexual activity, the age gap between the two was not so large as in other comparable cases, he had no criminal history, had a stable job, and that there was “no sense of exploitation, apart from her young age,” meaning there were no drugs or alcohol involved.

Edwards was placed on an 18-months’ probation, with no conviction recorded.

MORE BEENLEIGH COURT REPORTS

Patients down two-thirds: GPs dealt blow by health regulator

Meth mum jailed after 1600km, $15k crime spree

Infamous drug-trafficking aviator arrested