Luke Rowe sentenced for sexual offences committed towards fellow inmate at Junee Correctional Centre

A man approached a fellow inmate who was playing cards and exposed himself three times in less than an hour. Read what happened when he fronted court. Warning: Graphic content.

An inmate has fronted court for sentencing after admitting to exposing himself and trying to force a fellow prisoner to masturbate him at a correctional facility.

Luke Rowe, 30, appeared at Wagga District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to sexually touch another person without consent, and carrying out a sexual act towards another.

A second count of sexually touch another person without consent was also taken into account during the sentencing.

Court documents show that on May 17, 2021, Rowe approached another prisoner who was playing cards at Junee Correctional Centre in the maximum-security area and took out his penis.

A couple of minutes later, Rowe again took his penis out, approached the victim and rubbed them on their left side with his exposed penis.

The agreed facts show that he covered himself back up, but about 25 minutes later Rowe approached the victim again at the same spot, exposed his penis and began thrusting against the victim.

Junee Correctional Centre.

Rowe pulled the other inmate’s hair and pulled their head back and forth, before leaving the area shortly after. Rowe approached the victim for a third time where he placed himself at the end of the metal table and placed his exposed penis on the table next to the inmate while thrusting in their direction.

Court documents reveal he then picked up an empty playing card packet and placed his penis inside and began to masturbate beside the victim before trying to force their hand onto his penis.

The inmate resisted and managed to pull away, and reported the matter to correction officers the next day.

In an interview with correctional officers, Rowe said ”we all get our d**ks out” and “I do f**king get it out and f**k around with every single bloke in the wing about with it. All of us young blokes do”.

In sentencing, Judge Gordon Lerve said there were some positive steps that Rowe had taken including signing up to programs for drug rehabilitation and sex offenders in custody.

A shot of the exterior of the Junee Correctional Centre in 2007.

“Both offences are below mid-range, noting that I couldn‘t be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offender’s penis was erect,” he said.

“The offender is now 30 years of age and has a record that does not entitle him to any particular leniency.”

Judge Lerve said in Rowe’s matter there was a particularly strong subjective case which had been outlined in psychologist reports submitted to court.

He said Rowe had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, ADHD and other mental conditions.

“The offender was exposed to a great deal of domestic violence in his formative years and was subject to physical and sexual abuse,” Judge Lerve said.

“There is the issue of the profound deprivation experienced by the offender and the mental health issues.”

Rowe was convicted and sentenced to a fixed term of 14 months imprisonment. This will start from January 30, 2023 and be served alongside another sentence Rowe is serving. He will be eligible for release from March 2024.