Teacher’s aide pleads guilty in Emerald District Court to indecent treatment of student, 12

A Central Queensland teacher’s aide used his position of power to get a 12-year-old student’s phone number. Now, the sick actions that followed have been revealed in court.

The man groomed a young girl at a Central Qld school.

A Central Highlands grandfather used his position of “trust and power” as a teacher aide at a local high school to target a 12-year-old girl, a court has heard.

The man, aged in his 60s, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, pleaded guilty in Emerald District Court to one count of grooming a child under 16, one of procurement of a child to engage in a sexual act, and one count of indecent treatment of a child under 16.

Crown Prosecutor Cameron Wilkins told the court that at the time the offences were committed, the man used his position to get access to the student’s personal phone number.

Over the course of 12 days the man either called or sent texts the student at least 149 times.

He referred to her with affectionate names like “Angel”, asked her to be his “girlfriend”, professed his love for her and tried to get her to go to his house to talk to him privately.

The court heard he also spoke to the student about a sexually explicit dream he had of her in detail over the phone.

On one occasion, the girl went to his house, into a bedroom and laid on the bed.

The man entered the room and offered to give her a foot rub, before kissing her and afterwards said, “Pat my back bubba”.

The court also heard the girl’s friends knew not only who the man was, but also what he was doing to her, listened to some of the calls via speaker phone and told him to stop on multiple occasions.

Mr Wilkins described the man’s actions as “brazen” and pointed out the intention was to have a sexual relationship with the victim.

He said the man had not served any time in custody pre-sentencing and had no prior criminal history but argued he should serve actual jail time.

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw submitted a report of her client’s health, which included medical documentation showing the was due for surgery in hospital.

She told the court the man had other health issues, including heart problems and diabetes and because of this and his offending he was stripped of his blue card, unemployed and could only receive a small amount of paid work.

She also said the man had since moved and had the support of his wife of 12 years who drove to Emerald with him for his court appearance.

The man suffered abuse as a child, the court heard.

Judge Kent noted that in most instances the threat of being caught would be enough to deter a defendant from any future offending but given the overt manner in which the man was offending, it was “inevitable” he would eventually be caught.

It was also noted the man now volunteered for a church, leading the judge to consider whether that work, coupled with his multiple health issues, meant community service would be an appropriate punishment rather than jail.

The girl had not written a victim impact statement to be tendered as evidence to the court.

No psychological or psychiatric reports about the man’s mental health were submitted.

For all counts and offences, the man was sentenced to probation with an operational period of three years, with the added requirement he attend mandated psychological and psychiatric appointments.

He was also sentenced to 18 months in jail, wholly suspended, with a good behaviour period of three years and will have to complete 60 hours of mandatory community services for the one count of grooming a child under 16 and one of procurement of a child to engage in a sexual act.

The man was released back into the Emerald community under the supervision of a police officer.

He was then required to travel back to his local police station and inform them of his arrival and will be legally obligated to regularly report to police.