Geelong cosplayer Daniel Clifton found guilty of raping girl, sexual penetration of a child

A Geelong pedophile who raped a young girl after meeting her at a skating rink will have to pursue his Dragon Ball Z fandom in the slammer.

Daniel Clifton was found guilty of rape and sexual penetration of a child under 16. Facebook.

A Geelong cosplayer and Dragon Ball Z fan who groomed, sexually violated and raped a young girl he met at a skating rink has been jailed.

Daniel Clifton, 27, was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday to a minimum five year and 10 month jail term after he was found guilty of rape and multiple sexual penetration of a child under 16 charges.

Clifton, of Lara, sexually violated the 12-year-old child multiple times between February 2014 and February 2015.

The court heard Clifton often met his victim at Rollerway Skate Centre Newtown before sexually violating the child in his car by the Barwon River.

Clifton, a cosplayer loving Dragon Ball Z and Transformers, also assaulted the girl at his Lara home while the pair watched The Walking Dead.

He also assaulted the child at his home on another occasion.

Clifton, who was found guilty of 16 charges including indecent act with a child under 16, also raped the victim.

The prosecution submitted Clifton’s offending was “repetitive” and included a “level of grooming and secrecy”.

The court heard Clifton used popular skating rink Rollerway as a cover to meet his victim.

“While at law (the victim) didn’t have the ability to consent … clearly (the victim was) forced to do something against her will (on the last occasion),” the prosecution submitted.

“(The victim was) reluctant or hesitant initially (but) may well have performed them because of the situation she found herself in.”

Clifton is into cosplay.

A psychologist later opined Clifton, who had learning difficulties and an early on-set mental disability, had a pedophilic disorder.

The defence submitted that “apart from the rape” Clifton and his victim were in a “consensual relationship”.

The defence also submitted “any relationship begins with grooming”.

Judge Peter Rozen said, during last month’s plea hearing, he had difficulty accepting Clifton and the victim were in a consensual relationship.

“The point the court makes is that the giving of consent (does it) reflect age difference and power imbalance …,” Judge Rozen said.

“He’s a man, she’s a child, a young child in primary school.”

Clifton, who was found guilty earlier this year, posted a message on Facebook on July 25 which said he will be “taking a break from social media” for “personal stuff”.

“It could be weeks or months,” Clifton posted. “Sorry if this causes any inconvenience.”

Clifton also posted a macabre message back in August 2020 where he lamented how anyone could “hurt a child”.

Judge Rozen termed Clifton’s offending as “quite egregious”.

Clifton, who was made a registered sex offender for life, was jailed for a maximum eight years and 10 months.

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Originally published as Geelong cosplayer Daniel Clifton found guilty of raping girl, sexual penetration of a child