ANU: Paul David Kelly, 39, molested student in university dormitory
A 39-year-old man has told a court he is “not proud” of breaking into an Australian National University student’s dorm room while high on ice and molesting her.
Canberra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Canberra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Alleged Canberra kidnapper faces court on knife, abduction charges
- Police find weapon allegedly used in murder of top Canberra bikie
- Obese nerd arrested on child porn charges
A “monster” who broke into a student dormitory and molested a sleeping university student while high on ice says he is a changed man and wants to start life afresh as a small-business owner.
Paul David Kelly, 39, was wearing a balaclava when he made his way into an Australian National University student’s dorm room before sunrise on September 28 last year, when he groped her breasts as she slept.
Kelly has admitted he told the woman as she woke: “you don’t know me” and, as he left, warned he would come back to rape her.
He was arrested after the break-in, shortly after trying to buy three Toblerone bars and an iced coffee from Curtin Woolworths.
He pleaded guilty in May to a string of offences including three burglaries, trespass, and committing an act of indecency without consent.
Kelly’s victim told the ACT Supreme Court on Monday: “I am not just a name on a few of the belongings that you stole from me”.
The woman said after Kelly’s attack she began sleeping during the day and staying up all night.
“Every sound I hear in the night, my body tenses up in a panic,” she said.
Giving evidence, Kelly said he had relapsed into his on-again, off-again drug habit when he set out on his crime spree, which he claims not to remember.
“There’s a point of no return, I’m not proud of that fact,” he said.
“I turn into what my family call a monster (when I take drugs), I’m not proud of that.”
Kelly’s lawyer, Jane Campbell, said her client had been a heavy drug user since 2006 but was a “very different person” now compared to last September.
He now plans to study business, and work for himself as a stone mason when he is released from jail.
He has previously worked in maintenance at the University of Canberra.
Crown Prosecutor Skye Jerome said Kelly had an “unenviable criminal history” including a previous incident of forcing a woman to the ground, sitting on top of her and fondling her breasts.
Kelly had previously served time in jail, and has been kept in strict isolation among sex offenders at Canberra’s notorious Alexander Maconochie Centre, the court heard.
Justice Chrissa Loukas-Karlsson will sentence Kelly at a later date.