Morwell pizza delivery fiend Nathaniel Roberts imprisoned after sexually penetrating a child
A Morwell pizza delivery man who impregnated a teenager then suggested she get an abortion has been sentenced in court.
Bass Coast News
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A Morwell pizza delivery man who impregnated a teenager and then suggested she get an abortion has been jailed.
Morwell man Nathaniel Roberts, 26, appeared in the County Court for sentencing on Tuesday, after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 earlier this year.
The court heard the pair had a short sexual relationship over a period of 11 days in August 2020.
Roberts was aged 24 at the time and the girl was 15, and the court heard while he knew this the pair engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse on numerous occasions.
The court heard the pair had discussed the risks of their relationship and agreed they “wouldn’t tell anyone” about it.
But when the girl missed her period in September, she confided in her mum she had been having a relationship with an older man and she thought she was pregnant.
The teenager took a pregnancy test, which confirmed her suspicions.
The court previously heard upon learning of the pregnancy Roberts told the girl he wanted her to have an abortion and he ended their relationship because he was scared he was going to get “in trouble”.
The court heard the victim’s doctor confirmed the pregnancy and reported the relationship to the police.
Roberts, who worked as a pizza delivery man and had a history of drug abuse, had no prior criminal history.
He made full admissions during a police interview.
In a victim impact statement referred to in the court, the teenager said she “didn’t realise that what she was doing was wrong”.
While she described the hardship of raising a child as a teenager, she loves her child very much.
Judge Michael McInerney said although the girl consented in the sense she was a willing participant, the acts went against how the law described consent regarding such young people.
He described Roberts’ criminal actions as “stupid”, with lasting consequences.
Roberts, who has been in the community since he was charged, was sentenced as a “serious sexual offender”.
He was sentenced to five and a half years behind bars, with a non-parole period of three years.
He was also placed on the sex offenders' registry for life.
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