Nowra man Gary Childs jailed until 2029 after assaulting multiple children

A child victim whose abuse left her so afraid she defecated in her pants rather than enter the bathroom where she was attacked confronted her abuser years later before making a tip off to police, a court has learned. WARNING: Graphic Content.

Gary John Childs, 41, of Nowra, was sentenced at Nowra Local Court to more than six years in jail. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

A Nowra man who locked himself inside a bathroom with an underage girl before sexually assaulting her has been jailed until 2029 after two more underage victims reported their abuse to police.

Gary John Childs, 41, of Nowra, pleaded guilty in May to two counts of intentionally sexually touching a child under 16, four counts of indecently assaulting a child under 16, and indecently assaulting a child under the age of 10.

In July 2021, a helpline report was received at the Wollongong Child Abuse Unit disclosing claims two people had been abused by Childs multiple times between 2016-17 when they were 12 and 11 years old.

The court heard that in one incident, Childs ran his hands up and down her thigh, and close to her genitalia.

Despite the disclosure, no reports were made to police at the time.

Years later, the victims learned of alleged abuse Childs had committed against another underage child.

That victim claimed Childs assaulted her in about 2006, touching her inappropriately.

Gary John Childs outside Nowra Local Court on December 1. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

In another incident, Childs placed his penis close to the victim’s face and told her to touch him.

“The victim was terrified to use the bathroom as a result, and would hold on if they could,” agreed facts state.

“On one occasion, she defecated in her pants in her bedroom, not wanting to use the bathroom.”

In July 2021, the victim became friends with a Facebook account she believed belonged to Childs.

The victim left comments on photos containing Childs to the effect of “(Childs) likes touching girls”, having not spoken to Childs in years.

Shortly after, the victim received an Instagram message from a user she believed was Childs in which he apologised for past abuse.

“It has haunted me for every day of my life since,” he said.

The victim replied: “I don’t want you’re ‘sorry’, nor do I need it.

“You mean nothing to me, and haven’t for a long, long time.”

Appearing at Nowra District Court on Friday, Childs told Judge Richard Weinstein he had begun “unfurling” his own traumas since his arrest.

Over two weeks of sentencing, Childs’ childhood abuse and recent psychological treatments were revealed.

The court heard that at just seven years old, Childs was told by his mother that she was a victim of alleged sexual abuse at the hands of her father.

While he told the court he had no “physical memory” of any sexual abuse, Childs told the court he believed he might have also been abused by his grandfather.

Nowra Local Court. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

At an early age, Childs told the court he began, in secret, to experiment sexually and with self-abuse.

Only as an adult, Childs claimed, was he told the behaviour was wrong for someone so young, and portrayed “disordered sexual behaviour”.

Repeatedly, Childs described his childhood home as being wrought with “violence” and “sexual interference”.

He told the court his mother would physically abuse him regularly, including a strangulation attempt at three-years-old that left him with bruises.

At 18-years-old, Childs’ sister told the court their mother “retreated”, and the family relied on Childs.

At that time, Childs began taking care of his siblings, performing tasks such as buying groceries.

Childs, who has no criminal history, also began regularly using intravenous drugs at the same time.

He told psychologists his use of meth and cocaine were background factors in his offending.

The psychologists described Childs has having an “uneven insight” into his offending, but did show contrition and remorse.

One report described new insight Childs had gained, having formerly believed his victims had consented.

Judge Weinstein agreed with the psychologists’ findings, describing Childs as having an “evolving insight” on a journey of “self-realisation”.

“If he continues down the path of acknowledgment and – to use his own words – emotional intelligence, in my opinion his prospects of rehabilitation will be good,” Judge Weinstein said in sentencing.

“His exposure to sexual themes and sexualised behaviour demonstrate a background of disadvantage.

“But, nonetheless, these are very serious matters.”

Childs was sentenced to six years and six months in prison.

He will be eligible for parole from June 2026.