Matthew Sullivan: Lang Lang man sentenced for double sex assault

A McDonald’s supervisor who lost his job after sexually assaulting two teens, at separate sleepovers, has been sentenced in court.

Matthew Sullivan learns fate at Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court.

A Lang Lang man who lost his job at McDonald’s after he sexually assaulted two teens, at separate sleepovers, has been handed a good behaviour bond.

Matthew Sullivan, 22, pleaded guilty at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on March 2 to two charges of sexual assault.

The court heard Sullivan assaulted two victims, aged 18-19 at the time, several years ago in Melbourne.

In one incident, Sullivan slept on the lounge room floor with one of the victims.

Sullivan went out for a cigarette and when he returned, the victim was asleep.

In the morning the victim woke to Sullivan’s back wedged against his stomach.

Sullivan, who was only wearing underwear at the time, rubbed the victim’s leg.

He moved his hand towards the victim’s groin and genitalia but the victim moved his body so Sullivan couldn’t touch him.

After some time, the victim got up and went to the kitchen.

Sullivan and the victim never spoke about the incident.

In a separate incident some time later, Sullivan and another victim stayed overnight at an apartment with other people.

Sullivan had planned to sleep on the couch and the victim on a bed.

But when the victim got into bed about 10 minutes later, Sullivan followed him.

The next morning the victim woke to find Sullivan’s arm around him.

Sullivan put his hands inside the victim’s pants and rubbed the victim’s genitalia over the top of his underwear.

The victim tried to get Sullivan to stop but he didn’t.

Sullivan tried to put his hand inside the victim’s underwear but the victim moved his body so Sullivan couldn’t touch him.

The victim later had an anxiety attack in the bathroom.

Sullivan’s lawyer Tim Marsh said the Lang Lang man lost his job at McDonald’s due to the publicity.

“His employers were put under pressure to terminate his employment because it was seen that he brought adverse publicity to McDonald’s,” Mr Marsh said.

“That led to a brief period in time where he was feeling quite overwhelmed and despondent about his situation.”

Mr Marsh said Sullivan had “bounced back” and now works at Grill’d.

In March, Mr Marsh said the man’s offending was “brief”.

“There were no threats, there was no coercion,” he said.

“This was not a situation where the conduct was predatory.”

Mr Marsh said Sullivan was a “talented and gifted” student until his performance at high school declined because of social exclusion, abuse of alcohol and exploration of his “sexual and gender identity”.

“He began drinking alcohol in his mid-teens,” Mr Marsh said.

“Heavy binge drinking in particular was an issue for him.”

Mr Marsh said Sullivan had seen a psychologist and made significant progress to his offending related behaviour.

“He has been forced to learn some of these lessons the hard way,” he said.

Magistrate Belinda Wallington said the man was remorseful for his actions.

Sullivan was given an adjourned undertaking for a period of 12 months without conviction.

He was not placed on the sex offender register.

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