Stephen Leonard Mitchell: Canberra rock climbing coach jailed for child sex abuse

A Canberra rock climbing coach and former public servant who masqueraded as a beloved sports figure and family friend has been jailed for abusing six young girls across a 15-year period.

Stephen Leonard Mitchell entering the ACT Supreme Court on May 19, 2023. Picture: Sam Turner

A Canberra predator who used his position as a sports coach to sexually abuse six young girls has been jailed.

Stephen Leonard Mitchell subjected multiple girls to years of abuse while working as a rock climbing coach and youth worker in Canberra in the 1990s and 2000s.

The ACT Supreme Court heard on Friday of the depraved abuse these children suffered at the hands of the former public servant who masqueraded in the community as a committed coach and family friend.

The agreed statements of facts reveal how the disgraced coach came into contact with the young girls who were aged from 10 to 15.

His first victim, aged 11, he met as a family friend in the early 1990s during a bike ride. From then until she was 15, Mitchell groomed and maintained an unlawful sexual relationship with her, which included massages, touching and sleeping in the same bed.

Stephen Leonard Mitchell entering the ACT Supreme Court on May 19, 2023. Picture: Sam Turner

The offending also took place while Mitchell was a youth centre worker where his victim would participate.

He would meet his other five victims, aged between 10 and 15, through rock climbing where he would groom them before he would indecently touch them and himself.

Stephen Leonard Mitchell. Picture: Sam Turner

Several victim impact statements were read aloud in court on Friday which spoke of the long lasting trauma suffered at the hands of Mitchell.

Victims spoke of how “debased” they felt decades after the abuse, where the “expert child predator” stole their childhood, sport, family, friends and innocence.

The court heard Mitchell demonstrated remorse and insight into his “depraved” offending while speaking with a psychologist and acknowledged the breach of trust and grooming which occurred.

Judge David Mossop said on Monday there was a “gross disparity of age and power” between Mitchell and his victims, where the 57-year-old convinced himself the offending was not as bad as other sexual abuse.

Stephen Leonard Mitchell looking away from photographers on May 19, 2023. Picture: Sam Turner

Mitchell pleaded guilty to multiple child sex offences including two counts of maintaining a relationship with a child and persistent sexual abuse of a child.

He was jailed for 13 years and five months, with a non parole period of nine years. Convictions were recorded.

One of the victims spoke outside ACT Supreme Court on Monday after the sentence and wanted to thank the police, the other victims, their families and their friends during such a difficult time.

“If we had not found each other we would all still be silent and isolated,” one of the victims said.

“Achieving justice has been healing and I would go through this all again, but it has been difficult, too difficult.”