Peter Crawford: Former St George Netball president sentenced for sexually touching children
A churchgoer and former netball association president has been sentenced for a string of sexual touching offences on minors, including touching an 11-year-old girl at a netball complex.
St George Shire Standard
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To many, Peter Allan Crawford was a dedicated churchgoer, passionate community sports volunteer and beloved family man.
Now, he is a convicted sex offender with his deviant antics – including positioning an 11-year-old behind bushes before sexually touching her – revealed as he was sentenced in the Downing Centre District Court on Friday.
Former St George Netball Association president Peter Crawford, 73, sentenced for 17 counts of actual and attempted sexual transgressions toward multiple children and teenagers after being found guilty by a jury.
He has been convicted of nine counts of intentionally sexually touching a child, two counts of sexually touching another person without consent, indecently assaulting a child, and attempting to sexually touch a child.
The Beverly Hills man appeared calm as he appeared at court accompanied by his lawyer Watson McNamara, as Judge Phillip Mahony detailed how he repeatedly touched female junior netball players on the vagina outside their clothes, causing one to feel “so scared”.
The locations where the offences occurred include were netball precincts in Sydney’s south, including Kingsgrove Netball Courts.
The court heard that in one instance a teenage girl would be asked by the elderly man, “where’s my hug?”
Crawford then reached out and patted her on the buttock, making her feel uncomfortable.
Another incident detailed in the court took place when Crawford led an 11-year-old girl to the bottom of a hill near Kingsgrove Netball Courts and positioned them behind “various trees and bushes”.
Crawford then sexually touched her over her clothes, leaving her feeling “so scared”.
Judge Phillip Mahony said Crawford had “demonstrated little insight” into the impact his offending had on his victims.
However he noted a report from Community Corrections indicated Crawford had a “very low” risk of reoffending compared with other sexual offenders.
Judge Mahony said the court had received six testimonials for the now-73-year-old man, including from his wife and daughter outlining his “devotion to his family” as well as service to the church and to the netball community over 35 years
Father P Smithers described Crawford to the court as “a man of deep faith; reliable, honest and trustworthy”.
The Crown submitted the former netball president’s offending was “largely opportunistic” however the elderly man had “abused a position of trust” and exhibited a “lack of remorse or insight” into the crimes.
It submitted Crawford’s good character had allowed him to be elevated to leadership positions that enabled him to undertake his offending.
Judge Phillip Mahony convicted of all offences and sentenced him to a two-year community corrections order for nine counts of intentionally sexually touching a child, sexually touching another person without consent, indecently assaulting a child, and attempting to sexually touch a child.
He was given a conditional release order for indecent assault of a child and convicted without a further penalty for sexually touching another person without consent.
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