Edward Bunker pleads guilty to sex with child
A man who met a 12-year-old girl on Facebook and had sex with her at his grandmother’s Ballarat East home.
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A man more than twice the age of his 12-year-old victim had sex with her after meeting online.
Edward Bunker, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of sexually penetrating a child under 16 when he faced the County Court via video link on Thursday.
Prosecutor Charlotte Duckett told the court Bunker, then 25 years old, was on parole in Queensland but had been living in Victoria when he met the child on Facebook in early 2018, before continuing to communicate with her through text messages.
By September that year, they had started discussing sex, getting engaged and having a child.
The court heard the child stayed with Bunker at his grandmother’s Ballarat East home over a couple of days that same month, where they had unprotected sex.
A couple of days afterwards, a family member of the girl’s went through her Facebook account and found photos of Bunker, sending him two messages.
“You must be f***** in the head wanting to be with a minor; you have some serious issues you need to be locked away and the key thrown away,” it said.
“She is only 12 you are seriously the scum of the earth you need to be punished.”
The court heard the child’s mother contacted Bunker through Facebook, telling him her daughter’s age but he blocked her and prevented further communication.
A couple of months later in mid-November, Bunker was arrested in Queensland and taken into custody over breaching his parole.
About a week later, his victim admitted she had sex with him and was worried she was pregnant.
“It is obvious there was a high degree of manipulation and coercion,” Ms Duckett said.
Bunker’s lawyer Amanda Burnnard said her client had been diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, ADHD, autism, an intellectual impairment and other health conditions.
Ms Burnnard said Bunker’s ability to live independently was limited, as he had mental health issues and had not held meaningful employment.
Judge Kevin Doyle adjourned the plea hearing to January 28 next year, so Bunker can be assessed for a community corrections order and a justice plan.
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