Cricketer from Fleurieu jailed after pleading guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse of 14-year-old girl

A prominent cricketer from SA’s Fleurieu region has been jailed after sexually abusing a 14-year-old he knew through the local cricket club.

A top cricketer from the Fleurieu Peninsula has been jailed for nearly half a decade after sexually abusing a teen he knew through his local cricket club.

The man, who cannot be named to avoid identifying his victim, appeared in the District Court last month in front of Judge Emily Telfer for sentencing after pleading guilty to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child. The young man was initially charged with rape but the prosecution accepted his guilty plea to the other charge.

Judge Telfer told the court the victim, 14, had visited the man’s house to return a jumper before he invited her inside to watch cricket with him.

“You encouraged (the victim) to come into your bedroom and when she did so you took her pants off and tried to remove her top,” she said.

“She was crying. She said nothing to indicate to you she wanted what you were doing to her. Even if she had consented, she was 14 years of age and you were an adult.

“You abused the trust that she placed in you and you abused her for your own sexual satisfaction. At only 14, your victim was nowhere even close to the age of consent. You were well aware of her age, having known her since she was a child.”

After the incident, the court heard the victim disclosed what had happened to multiple trusted friends and soon after reported the matter to police.

In text messages following the offending, the victim raised the man’s behaviour with him which he responded by saying: ‘I don’t know what happened and I’m so sorry’, the court heard.

The court further heard the victim’s mother said the man’s actions had undermined her ability to trust others and had affected her daughter’s confidence and social connection to others, while her stepfather said he now blamed himself for not being able to protect his stepdaughter.

“(The victim) authored a victim impact statement which was read to the court – her statement was courageous and eloquent,” Judge Telfer said.

“You have left her in a constant state of fear and she feels uncomfortable in her own body.

“She regrets the opportunities she lost while she carried the secret that you imposed on her by your conduct. You took her innocence, her confidence and her feelings of safety.”

The man was sentenced to four years, three months and ten days imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years and nine months.

Originally published as Cricketer from Fleurieu jailed after pleading guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse of 14-year-old girl