David McCorriston to be sentenced for historical sexual assaults against three boys more than three decades ago in Hunter
A court has heard David Allen McCorriston, the brother of serial rapist Warren McCorriston, followed a pattern of befriending young boys, giving them alcohol and engaging in sexual activities.
Newcastle
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A court has heard David Allen McCorriston, the brother of serial rapist Warren McCorriston - who admitted to abusing three boys dating back more than three decades in the Hunter - followed a pattern of befriending the young boys, giving them alcohol and engaging in sexual activities.
It was also heard McCorriston from Belmont - now aged 57 - performed oral sex on his victims and they performed oral sex on him.
Earlier this year he pleaded guilty to 19 charges ranging from sexual intercourse with a person under 16, aggravated indecent assault with a person under 16, sexual assault incite indecent act with a person under 16, sex assault and commit an act of indecency and sexual assault indecent act with a person under 16.
Prosecutors withdrew a further 20 charges which included sexual assault indecent assault of a person under 16 under authority, sexual intercourse with a person under 16, incite aggravated indecency with victim under 16 under authority and sexual assault incite indecent act with a person under 16.
In Newcastle District Court on Wednesday McCorriston appeared via video link for sentencing.
Defence barrister Bill Hussey said his client had good prospects of rehabilitation given he hasn’t offended for around 14 years and was now medicated for his mental health conditions.
The court heard McCorriston was diagnosed with a paraphilic disorder but made reports to his doctor of a declining libido and a reduction in masturbation.
Mr Hussey said he was far less likely to reoffend, asking for his moral culpability to be reduced on the fact there is a direct link to his paraphilia and his offending, and his upbringing of neglect which included sexual abuse from the age of 13, which he only reported to police in 2006 but did not press the complaint.
The defence barrister went on to say that whilst the victims suffered trauma from the abuse, the offending was a less serious and painful type of sexual activity which didn’t include anal.
“There’s no evidence that harm is substantial,” Mr Hussey said.
He asked Judge Sharron Norton to consider an aggregate sentence with a non-parole period of around six to nine years.
Crown Prosecutor Lee Carr SC said there was grooming of the three young boys and one complainant referred to it happening fortnightly for about a year.
“It would be a difficult exercise to come to a positive view there were good prospects of lack of reoffending. Making a positive finding is a difficult task,” Mr Carr said.
Judge Norton noted patterns of offending had ceased by him making a decision not to do it, which must go some ways to him not reoffending.
The Crown replied, “It would provide some support he is not likely to reoffend, but that should be guarded”.
Judge Norton will hand down her full sentence on August 11 in Sydney.
Both McCorristons were arrested and charged by detectives from Strike Force Arapaima, established three years ago to reinvestigate the suspicious disappearances of Robyn Hickie and Amanda Robinson in 1979.
Warren McCorriston remains a person of interest in the investigation following his convictions last year for the sexual assaults of three women dating back several decades.
He was jailed for eight-and-a-half years with a non-parole period of four-and-a-half years.
Warren McCorriston has not been charged with any offences relating to the missing girls.
His younger brother was arrested last June after Strike Force Arapaima detectives uncovered his offending while investigating the missing girls.
There is no suggestion David McCorriston has any involvement in the disappearances of either woman nor was he involved in his brother’s offending.
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