Northern Rivers’ worst local sex offenders revealed

From a man who raped dogs to a married couple who used their babysitter for their “sick twisted abuse”, the names of some of our worst sex offenders can now be revealed.

Many of these listed offenders subjected their victims to cruel and inhumane acts.

Their disturbing crimes shocked the Northern Rivers community, were detailed in court and, in most cases, led to jail time.

Here are the circumstances surrounding some of the most shocking sex offences to take place in and around the region over the past few years.

However please note, due to laws designed to protect victims of crime, The Northern Star is unable to name many of the region’s worst offenders.

Dean Anthony Sellenthin, of Bangalow

Dean Anthony Sellenthin, 45, will face 16 years in prison for a large number of offences including bestiality, sexual assaults and other offences.

He pleaded guilty to 83 charges in May 2020, which accounted for offences dating up to 2017.

This included 10 counts of aggravated indecent assault, 10 counts of aggravated break and enter, five counts of bestiality, 17 counts of producing child abuse material, 20 counts of stalking, 11 counts of stealing from a dwelling and other related charges.

He also pleaded guilty to larceny offences involving the theft of a large amount of underwear from Byron Shire properties and a further 82 offences were taken into account at his sentencing.

One of the victims, aged 91 at the time, was assaulted by Sellenthin while she was medicated and sleeping.

He also repeatedly raped three dogs and secretly recorded adults and children in the nude across the Byron Shire.

Sellenthin, who told the court he was sorry for his actions and that he was willing to get help, won‘t eligible for parole until November 21, 2029.

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18-year-old rapist jailed, Lismore

An 18-year-old man will spend years behind bars after he violently raped a woman after breaking into her Lismore home in December, 2017.

Aged almost 17 at the time of the offence, he was sentenced in March 2019 to 10 years’ prison before Lismore District Court.

He won’t be eligible for parole until June 19, 2024.

He will be in juvenile detention until he’s 21.

Zane Rowe, of Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour man Zane Rowe, 35, raped and threatened a woman on a student visa at Belongil Beach in Tyagarah.

Rowe was sentenced on February 1, 2019 after pleading guilty to six counts of aggravated sexual assault, committing an act of indecency and destroying or damaging property.

He received nine years and nine months’ prison and won’t be eligible for parole until March 15, 2024.

In her sentencing remarks, Judge Julia Baly praised the way the woman, visiting Australia from a European country, dealt with the “terrifying” ordeal, convincing Rowe to walk with her until she could seek help, also managing to have him caught on CCTV.

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Many of the region’s worst offenders head to Lismore District Court.

East Lismore couple jailed for 13 years

A married couple will each face eight years without parole, and a 13-year total sentence, for the repeated abuse of a teen girl.

The 62-year-old man and the 54-year-old woman, who both suffer from a range of chronic illnesses, were sentenced before Lismore District Court in July 2020.

Their abuse of the girl began when she was babysitting at their East Lismore home in 1989.

The pair defended the allegations and faced a joint trial.

The victim bravely read an impact statement during the trial in which she labelled the pair’s action as “sick twisted abuse”.

The jury found them both guilty of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child between late 1989 to early 1991 in East Lismore, Murwillumbah and other locations.

Full story here

Stepfather threatened, raped 15-year-old during work trip

A Northern Rivers man who raped his stepson after taking him on a work trip won’t be eligible for parole until at least December 2024.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, began by inappropriately touching the 15-year-old in their motel room in July, 2013.

But this escalated to raping the boy for several minutes and threatening him not to tell anyone about the incident.

The man was arrested in 2018 and in June 2019, Lismore District Court Judge Mark Williams sentenced him to nine years behind bars, six of those without parole.

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In one local case, A Tweed Shire man sexually assaulted his three young stepsons Credit: AHMET YARALI/ Istock

Three brothers sexually abused by their stepfather at Tweed Heads

A Tweed Shire man who sexually assaulted his three stepsons will spend a significant amount of his life behind bars after being sentenced.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty by a jury in December 2020 on three counts of maintaining a sexual relationship with the three brothers over 2017 and 2018, with each brother aged between 10 and 14 at the time of the offending.

Considered the boys’ father figure, the man repeatedly bribed his three stepsons with various treats, food and video games as a reward if he could perform various sexual acts with them, the court heard.

The man was sentenced to an aggregate 28 years term of imprisonment, with a 21-year non-parole period.

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Gregory James Agnew, of Kyogle

A Kyogle man will soon be sentenced for plying his victim with cocaine before raping her.

Gregory James Agnew, 40, was found guilty of two charges of sexual intercourse without consent during a Lismore District Court trial in June 2021.

He was also found guilty of offering to supply a prohibited drug.

The court heard in November 2018 Agnew and his victim snorted the two lines of the drug and then, as the drug was “kicking in” and the victim began to fade out and “feel blurry”, the man began to rape her.

He was later arrested in May 2020 after a five-month police investigation into several alleged drug and sexual assault incidents within the Richmond Police District.

He is set to face sentencing on August 26 at Lismore District Court.

Full story here.