Canberra junior rugby union star sentenced for drunken rape of teenage girl in back of car
The top former junior rugby union prospect has never shown any remorse for twice raping a teenage girl in the backseat of a car.
Canberra Star
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The remorseless former Canberra junior rugby union star who raped a teenage girl will not see the inside of a jail cell.
The former private schoolboy was on Tuesday sentenced to 11 months jail, fully suspended, and handed a series of good behaviour orders after being found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of indecency against a 17-year-old.
The ACT Supreme Court has heard the teen has been sledged, ridiculed and given “intimidating” looks at work as details of his identity spread among his sporting and social circles.
He cannot be identified in news reports because he was under 18 when he drunkenly raped his victim on the back seat of her car in 2017, in an attack that she is still recovering from.
Justice David Mossop on Tuesday said the rapist enjoyed the support of his family, including his parents, who said in evidence and character references that their son was raised to respect others.
He said the courts showed “considerable leniency” to sex offenders who committed their crimes before their 18th birthdays, and that the law required judges to focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
“Clearly, the offender did not pay adequate regard to the issue of consent,” Justice Mossop said.
“The victim’s statement (on Monday) made clear the lasting impact these offences have had upon her.”
The rugby player was too drunk to drive home from a birthday party and rang the girl for a ride, before asking her to stop at an oval, where he began chasing kangaroos around.
He ignored the then-teenage girl refusing his sexual advances.
When the girl said: “No, stop. Like, we’re not doing it”, the athlete said: “I can’t hear anything” and continued the sex attack.
The “nervous and scared” girl, told the powerfully built athlete “no, stop, stop” as he held her down.
The girl was cross-examined for three days, and the court heard evidence the teenage athlete’s mother made comments about a professional contract and demanded to know whether the victim would go to police.
Justice Mossop said there was evidence that the teen shows respect towards women “outside the context of intimate relationships”.
He is now an apprentice tradie, and it is unclear whether he will pursue a professional sporting career.
He has also filed an appeal against his convictions, and maintains he did nothing criminally wrong on the night.
Justice Mossop sentenced the teen to a six-month good behaviour order on the charge of indecency, and 11 months jail, suspended on 18-month good behaviour orders on the two rape charges.
He will also have to do 100 hours of community service.
The teen will not be registered as a child sex offender.
