Truck driver Richard John Atkinson sent sexual messages to underage teen girl
A truck driver who sent disturbing texts to a teen girl spent years avoiding police apprehension by moving interstate and told a court he couldn’t recall sending the messages because he was drunk.
Central Coast
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A truck driver who sent disturbing texts to an underage teen girl spent years avoiding police apprehension by moving interstate and told a court he couldn’t recall sending the messages because he was drunk.
Richard John Atkinson, 50, appeared via video link at the Gosford District Court on Friday for a sentence hearing after pleading guilty to the charge of using a carriage service to produce a child under 16 years for sexual activity.
Atkinson had developed a relationship with the victim and sent messages via Facebook Messenger, the court was told.
The messages then progressed into a disturbing nature, which included describing sexual activity as well as sharing pornographic material.
The court heard Atkinson was charged by police, however he moved to Queensland and avoided police arrest for a number of years.
In a victim impact statement read out in court, the victim said the messages were “an extreme betrayal of trust”.
“I found it difficult to trust anyone around me and became very hesitant to leave the house without a trusted person or be home alone for any period of time.
“It’s taken a long time to rebuild trust, self independence and assurance to allow new relationships to develop after the trauma and torment I’ve endured over the years.
“A portion of my adolescent childhood was stolen from me.
“The sense of relief and comfort I felt when the accused had finally been apprehended was indescribable,” the statement said.
Atkinson told the court he had been intoxicated and was also consuming drugs for weeks and was “in a drunken haze” – and unable to recall sending the texts.
Atkinson told the court he moved to Queensland for work after being charged and did not think to contact authorities.
In court, Atkinson, wearing a prison issued shirt, listened to the victim impact statement and said he was “very sorry”.
“I feel terrible about it and feel terrible about making someone feel that way,” Atkinson said.
“I don’t know what overcame me, I just want to get on with my life and become a better person,” he said.
When asked by the Crown if he had a sexual interest in children, Atkinson told the court he did not, but was willing to take part in a program to address the issue.
Atkinson will be sentenced in court in May.
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