Man kissed chest of seven-year-old girl after drinking

AFTER being charged with indecent treatment of a child under 12 in 2017, a man has fronted court for breaching his suspended sentence.

AFTER being charged with indecent treatment of a child under 12 in 2017, a man has fronted court for breaching his suspended sentence.

The man was sentenced to the rising of the court (the shortest possible period in custody) in Bundaberg District Court after pleading guilty to breaching his 2017 sentence of 12 months imprisonment, wholly suspended with an operational period of two years.

Crown prosecutor Steven Dickson said the incident happened in 2015 after the man had been drinking.

Mr Dickson said the seven-year-old victim was the daughter of his partner at the time and he pulled down the girl's top and kissed her chest area after the mother left the room.

The court was told the man breached his suspended sentence when he failed to report creating a Facebook account and an Instagram account on two separate occasions.

The Crown said it would be unjust to activate the whole suspended sentence and suggested extending the operational period or activating a portion of the suspended sentence.

Defence barrister Callan Cassidy noted a third breach where he failed to appear.

Mr Cassidy highlighted the sentence was suspended as the judge presiding over the 2017 case was impressed by the man's bid to rehabilitate.

Mr Cassidy also said that the presiding magistrate noted administrative error in the man's reporting requirements led to him being lost in the electronic system.

Mr Cassidy said the man was the sole carer of two children and had a full-time job.

When sentencing, Judge Vicki Loury took into account his rehabilitation, his current circumstances and that it was not considered he was attempting to hide the accounts.

"You must realise that it is important you comply with these reporting requirements," Judge Loury said.

"Each time you are fined that is money you can't spend on raising your children."

Judge Loury activated some of the suspended sentence and sentenced the man "to imprisonment to the rising of the court".

Originally published as Man kissed chest of seven-year-old girl after drinking