Child sex offender Kristopher Racette in court after breaching suspended jail sentence

A former Gold Coast real estate agent and convicted child sex offender who sparked huge community outrage this year has avoided further time behind bars. FIND OUT WHY

Kristopher Marc Racette.

The former real estate agent and convicted child sex offender who sparked major community outrage earlier this year has avoided being sent back to jail for breaching the conditions of his release.

Kristopher Marc Racette – whose appearance at his wife’s Koala Park General Store in Tallebudgera drew intense backlash online and at the premises – faced Southport District Court on Monday.

The proceedings were to decide whether Racette would be sent back to jail after committing another offence while still under a suspended jail term.

He was sentenced to three years’ jail, suspended after serving eight months in custody, in February last year after pleading guilty to several offences including making and possessing child exploitation material and indecent treatment of a child.

The court was then told Racette was found with 65 videos of child abuse material, showing children being touched and in various states of undress.

Kristopher Marc Racette.

He was also placed on a prison probation order for two years.

Southport District Court was told this week that months after his release from custody, Racette was brought back before the courts for failing to comply with his reporting obligations.

Racette was fined with no conviction recorded for failing to tell police about his voluntary work at his wife’s business, covering for her while she took bathroom breaks or similar.

It was heard he did not realise he needed to notify police of the change.

Defence lawyer Michael Gatenby, of Gatenby Criminal Lawyers, said his client faced a far greater punishment in his wife being forced to close down her business amid intense “vilification” by the community.

Mr Gatenby said he had more than 100 pages of “vile” social media messages received by the couple, and that their store received Google reviews saying a ‘pedo’ was working there.

He told the court Racette and his wife also had their vehicle damaged and their lawn torn up, with both now suffering significant mental health concerns.

“While he didn’t send those posts, he realises it’s his conduct that caused his wife to receive those messages,” Mr Gatenby said.

“Obviously he is the catalyst for that behaviour, even though (it) ought not be tolerated.”

Judge Deborah Holliday agreed with the submission from both parties that it would be unjust for Racette to serve part or the whole remainder of his sentence, taking into account the minor nature of the breach and ongoing rehabilitation attempts.

The operational period of Racette’s suspended sentence was extended by one month, now ending in March, 2025.