ANU: Paul Kelly jailed over sex attack on sleeping woman at university dormitory
A 39-year-old man broke into an Australian National University dorm while on a drug-fuelled crime spree and committed a “particularly appalling” sex attack on a sleeping student.
Canberra Star
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An ice-fuelled “monster” who broke into an ANU student dorm wearing a ski mask and molested a sleeping student has been told his crimes were “appaling” and jailed for nearly six years.
Paul David Kelly, 39, was on Friday sentenced for a string of 17 offences committed in a crime spree he committed on a drug bender in September last year.
The spree centred around a break-in at one of the Australian National University’s student dorms where he committed burglary, thefts, a car theft, and an act of indecency without consent, among other crimes.
Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlssen said: “The offences you have committed are very serious and, in particular, what you did to that young woman was appalling”.
Earlier this year, Kelly admitted he made his way into the woman’s dorm room in the dead of night and began groping her breasts while she was sleeping.
When the woman woke, she was terrified and asked who the masked intruder was.
According to documents filed in the ACT Supreme Court, Kelly responded “you don’t know me”, and when the woman began to fight back, he said he would return and rape her.
Kelly was arrested after the break-in, when police detected him buying three Toblerone bars and an iced coffee at a suburban supermarket using a stolen Woolworths gift card.
Kelly, giving evidence in his sentencing proceedings in August, said when he relapsed into his on-again, off-again drug habit, he turned into “what my family call a monster”.
Justice Loukas-Karlssen said on Friday: “This is not the first time you have committed an act of indecency, and it’s not the first time you have committed burglaries.
“Drugs are no excuse, you must know that.”
Justice Loukas-Karlssen said the woman spoke powerfully and eloquently at court in August, when she confronted Kelly, describing the impact of his crimes on her life.
The woman said: “I am, to my core, and always will be, a fighter”.
The court heard Kelly is working as a cleaner and a kitchen supervisor at Canberra’s jail, the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Dressed in a button-up shirt and tie, and with no supporters in court, he showed little reaction as Justice Loukas-Karlssen sentenced him to five years and nine months jail.
After time served he will be eligible for parole in February 2023.
