Brett Edward Sorby: Former youth church leader turned child sex offender sentenced in Newcastle District Court

A disgraced former youth church group leader has been described as “the man that had everybody fooled” as he was sentenced for a string of historic sexual assault offences on a 15-year-old girl. Read the sentence here.

Church youth leader Brett Edward Sorby was arrested at his Maryville home on January 12, 2023 and charged with 14 sex offences.

Disgraced former youth church group leader Brett Edward Sorby has shed tears behind bars after hearing the devastating impacts his historic sexual abuse had on his victim.

The 60-year-old married child sex offender was convicted and sentenced in Newcastle District Court on Monday.

He appeared via an audiovisual link and heard his victim describe how his offending impacted her 19 years after he sexually abused her on eight different occasions over 20 months.

The Maryville man, who also once worked at a local school, pleaded guilty to 15 offences in Newcastle Local Court in March, including six counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a person aged between 14 and 16, three counts of sexual intercourse with a person aged between 16 and 17 and six counts of aggravated indecent assault.

“You could’ve been a hero, but instead you sit here waiting to be sentenced as a child sex offender,” the woman said through tears during her victim impact statement.

“What I wouldn’t give to have never started going to that youth group.

“What I wouldn’t give to have never met you, the so-called man that everybody adored, the man that had everybody fooled.”

Church youth leader Brett Edward Sorby has been sentenced for a historical sexual assault.

The woman described how she trusted Sorby and had “confided” in him in the past about her childhood, mental health and family history.

“Any strength I had was turned into weakness,” she told the courtroom.

“I am not just a victim of your abuse. I will fight for the life I deserve, and I will survive in spite of you and your disgusting actions.”

Court documents revealed Sorby sexually abused the woman, who was 15 at the time, through coercion and taking advantage of her previous trauma.

In one incident, the offender pushed her head to perform fellatio after she had a mental health appointment.

Judge Peter McGrath said as a church youth group leader, Sorby should have provided the woman with safety instead of ongoing abuse.

Newcastle District Court Judge Peter McGrath said the victim impact statement was “moving”.

Sorby was arrested in January last year after Newcastle City detectives launched an investigation following his admission of guilt after a string of messages with the woman in 2022.

He told the court the woman has had lifelong trauma from the ongoing incident.

Mr McGrath said that while the offender had previously been a person of “exemplary character”, it has been tarnished since the event.

The judge noted the offender had his wife’s ongoing support.

Sorby has been sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment from December 24, 2023, with a non-parole period of nine years.

He will be eligible for parole on December 23, 2032.