Andrea Marcel Banks sentenced for child grooming offences

A young woman engaged in ‘high-risk sexual behaviour’ but ‘didn’t fully appreciate the wrongfulness of what she doing’ when she introduced minors to a man who allegedly had sex with them.

Andrea Marcel Banks leaves court at an earlier appearance.

A young woman who pleaded guilty to grooming two teenage girls for sex with her then partner has been convicted and given a two-year non-jail sentence but was not “fully aware” of her wrongdoing, a court has heard.

Andrea Marcel Banks fronted Parramatta District Court on Monday for sentencing when the prosecution and defence agreed she was unaware the grooming would lead to alleged sexual abuse by her former boyfriend.

The court heard Banks, now 21, connected the girls to the man via Snapchat in 2020 because they allegedly wanted to “sleep around” with older men.

The court heard Banks, of Minchinbury, did not want them “going out meeting strangers” so put them in touch with the man, who is accused of recording the girls during sex.

The man was charged with multiple offences including four counts of having sexual intercourse with a child between 14 and 16 years.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Andrea Marcel Banks received a community correction order.

Judge Stephen Hanley told the court the alleged victims’ age was not legal but there “they were not unwilling participants”.

He said child procurement was abhorrent but “extremely unusual circumstances” meant Banks, who was immature and sexually confused, did not offend for sexual gratification.

He also took into account the offender’s mental health issues, youth and guilty plea for her sentence.

Banks suffered depression, was bullied at school and was admitted to mental health institutions including one shortly before the first offence.

Crown prosecutor Will Martin told the court Banks did not seek sexual gratification and was credible because she was prepared to give a statement to police and evidence in the man’s trial.

“She didn’t fully appreciate the wrongfulness of what she was doing,’’ he said.

“She’s got good prospects of rehabilitation.’’

Judge Hanley sentenced Banks to a two-year community correction order and ordered her to undertake 150 hours of community service.