Regional Victoria sex offenders: Heath Ross, Alex Hamilton, Aaron Stockton and more

Regional Victoria is littered with vile sex offenders who could be anyone including the local CFA bushfire hero or your trusted sparkie. Here are some of the worst.

Stephen Sedgley was jailed for having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

A Bendigo sparkie who sexually assaulted a child over a prolonged period almost got away with it but he was done in the end.

The fiend joins other sex offenders who called regional Victoria home including a CFA bushfire hero, a veteran basketball ref and a creepy cricketer.

Here are some of the grubbiest offenders who have fronted the court in past couple of years.

Hugh Debenham

BUSHFIRE HERO EXPOSED AS FIEND

A Koonwarra CFA bushfire hero exposed as a cowardly sex abuser avoided a jail term.

Hugh Debenham, 26, was sentenced in the County Court to a 12-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to sexual assault.

Debenham was 23 years old when he assaulted a woman at a hotel in August 2018 after she told him she did not want to have sex.

Debenham had invited the woman to stay with him at the hotel the day before.

The court heard the pair were friends and had previously had sexual contact.

They went to a St Kilda bar hours before the assault, where they chatted and drank for a while, before going to the hotel.

The woman had forgotten to pack pyjamas so Debenham gave her a T-shirt.

They lay in bed and chatted before Debenham pulled her towards him, but she took his arm off her and rolled away.

Debenham put his arm around her again and turned her back towards him, kissing her.

She pushed him away, saying she didn’t want to have sex because she was seeing someone else.

Five minutes later he tried to kiss her again and she again said no and pushed him away.

Debenham responded, “Sorry, I’m just really horny and frustrated”.

The woman rolled back onto her side and went to sleep.

She then woke up to Debenham’s hand stroking between her legs and moved her legs closer together and went back to sleep.

When the woman woke again she was on her back and Debenham was touching her underneath her underwear.

The Wonthaggi-raised man completed his schooling at Melbourne Grammar School, where he was “teased a lot” for being quiet.

Debenham went on to volunteer for the Koonwarra CFA and fought the devastating NSW fires in 2019, for which he received an accolade from the NSW Premier.

Judge Jeanette Morrish also ordered Debenham undertake treatment and counselling and pay $3000 to a charity.

Heath Ross

SICKO SPARKIE’S SEX CRIMES

A Bendigo electrician who sexually assaulted a child multiple times leaving his victim with mental health issues was jailed.

Heath Ross, 31, was sentenced in the County Court to a minimum three years and three months after pleading guilty to multiple rolled-up charges of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

Ross was 22 when he commenced his offending against his 14-year-old victim.

The court heard the pair messaged each other via Facebook after meeting at a function in 2011.

”Have you done anything before?,” Ross asked his victim.

The girl said she hadn’t contemplated sex but would consider “making out”.

“What about other stuff,” Ross said.

Ross sexually penetrated his victim in various locations multiple times over a 14-month period, and did no use a condom.

The victim became pregnant but miscarried, the court heard.

In another incident Ross had anal sex with the girl which left the victim with injuries.

The victim also vomited after Ross made her perform oral sex during another incident.

Ross told the girl he thought his girlfriend was “suspicious” but he continued to assault his victim.

In another incident Ross made the girl give him oral sex and he ejaculated in her mouth.

“Good job,” Ross told his victim.

is another victim … an extensive betrayal has occurred to her,” the defence submitted.

The court was told a reference said the “whole process will come with a heavy price” for Ross.

Ross started his electrician business Get Sparked Electrical about 10 years ago after leaving Bendigo Secondary College, the court was told.

Ross, who was made a registered sex offender for life, was jailed for a maximum six years’ and three months’ jail.

Ashley 'Choco' Gunaratnam

GRUBBY GIPPSLAND CONCRETER

A Gippsland concreter exposed as a child sex fiend after he admitted penetrating a 13-year-old girl WAS jailed.

Ashley ‘Choco’ Gunaratnam, 31, was sentenced in the County Court to a minimum two years and three months’ jail after pleading guilty to sexual penetration of a child under 16.

Gunaratnam violated his underage victim multiple times in various Gippsland locations, the court was told.

Gunaratnam met his victim at a party then messaged the girl about having sex for the first time.

The fiend later had sex with his victim but she asked him to stop.

Gunaratnam also assaulted the victim in his Toyota HiLux.

On another occasion, Gunaratnam pushed the girl onto a bed and violated her while not wearing a condom after the victim said she wasn’t interested in having sex.

Gunaratnam also had sex with his victim inside a Gippsland shed.

Judge Fiona Todd jailed Gunaratnam for a maximum three years’ and nine months’ jail.

Gunaratnam was made a registered sex offender for life.

Nathan Doherty

TEEN FIEND FILMED SEX ASSAULT

A Mildura teen who filmed a schoolgirl sex attack while he ran amok sexually assaulting several underage victims was spared further jail time.

Nathan Doherty, 20, was sentenced in the County Court to six months’ jail after pleading guilty to charges including five counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

Doherty, from Buronga, was 18 when he committed lewd and vile acts on multiple victims aged between 13 and 15.

The creep’s sex crimes occurred between March and May 2019.

Doherty lured a 13-year-old victim to Kenny Park in Merbein after rusing the schoolgirl into believing he would provide her “comfort” after she had a fight with her mum.

Instead Doherty sexually penetrated his “scared” victim.

The sexual assault only ended when park sprinklers activated and interrupted the fiend.

The victim was “crying and her body shaking” when she told her mum what Doherty did.

Doherty met another victim at Café 1909 then took her to Lock 11 along the Mildura waterfront.

Doherty sexually penetrated his victim multiple times before fleeing in a taxi and leaving his 15-year-old victim to walk to a friend’s house.

Doherty, who also sexually penetrated a third underage victim, was arrested and interviewed by police who seized his phone and discovered a lewd video.

Doherty admitted sexually penetrating one victim but denied offending against his other victims.

Judge Paul Higham took into account Doherty’s youth, his disadvantaged childhood and the time he spent on remand in adult custody.

Doherty was also served a 30-month community correction order and made a registered sex offender for life.

Alex Hamilton

CREEPY CRICKETER

A Wonthaggi cricketer who sexually violated a 15-year-old girl, while holding her down after she said no, was jailed.

Alex Hamilton, 26, was sentenced to a minimum of 14 months’ jail having pleaded guilty to a rolled-up charge of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

Hamilton sexually assaulted his victim after he convinced the girl to watch a movie at his house.

The fiend touched the girl but the victim flatly refused Hamilton’s advances.

“No … It’s not happening,” the victim said.

Hamilton then grabbed the girl’s wrists, pulled down her pants and sexually violated the girl.

Hamilton stopped after several minutes, turned his victim over and violated her again, the court was told.

Hamilton stopped after his victim asked him to stop but he prevented the girl from leaving.

The victim later told her mum and a friend she had been raped, the court was told.

Hamilton told a friend that “she wanted it”.

He told police he “recalled the night in question” but denied being “drunk at the time”.

He also denied “forcing himself “on the victim or “anything like that”.

Hamilton said the “sexual intercourse ceased” when the victim said “stop” but believed the girl was a “bit nervous”.

The court heard Hamilton, who grew up in Wonthaggi, worked several jobs after dropping out of high school.

Judge Carolene Gwynn noted that numerous character references given to the court, including from his fiance, to whom he has a two-year-old, described him as a family man and hard worker.

It was submitted Hamilton has played cricket since he was 9 and the sport remains a “big part of his life” both as player and clubman.

Hamilton was sentenced to a maximum of two years’ and two months’ jail and made a registered sex offender for 15 years.

Nathan Garratt

FIEND TRUCKIE ASSAULTED GIRL AT CINEMA

A Mildura truckie who sexually penetrated a schoolgirl at the Deakin Cinema then circulated lewd images of her on social media was jailed.

Nathan Garratt, 28, was sentenced in the County Court to a minimum four years and three months’ jail after pleading guilty to charges including sexual penetration of a child under 16.

Garratt groomed his schoolgirl victim via Snapchat and Facebook Messenger.

He took her to the Deakin Cinema to watch Bad Boys for Life earlier this year.

The Ginko mine truck driver sexually penetrated his 14-year-old victim during the movie.

After the film Garratt put a TV on lay-by then offered to buy his victim underwear.

Garratt harassed his victim via Snapchat and sent lewd images and suicide threats.

He also bought her a pink bra and a school-style skirt and asked to use a sex toy on his victim but she refused.

Garratt got angry and accused his victim of seeing other people.

It was revealed Garratt circulated lewd images and videos of his victim via KiK.

Garratt used vile and degrading language when discussing his victim with other KiK users.

Garratt also circulated an image of an unknown girl with a toothbrush to her genitalia.

The truckie also exchanged lewd messages and images with multiple underage social media users.

Judge Anne Hassan said the “manipulation” via social media made it a “serious crime”.

Garratt – who had spent 227 days in custody – was jailed for a maximum six years and nine months.

He was made a registered sex offender for life.

DAD’S ‘TAKEN’ THREAT TO VILE FIEND

An unemployed Bendigo IT student who degraded and abused multiple child sex slaves after claiming he hypnotised his victims via the internet was jailed.

Joel Maltese, 27, was sentenced in the County Court to a minimum 12 months’ jail after pleading guilty to 12 charges including procuring a child for sex and engage in a sexual activity with a child outside Australia.

Maltese handed himself into police after telling an elder at his church he was addicted to child pornography.

The depraved sicko told police he taught himself how to hypnotise young children online into performing degrading and vile sexual acts.

The court was told Maltese spoke to his child victims, calling them his slave and him the master.

Maltese also instructed some victims to drink urine, go to school with a vibrator in and without undies.

Maltese estimated he had about 20 sex slaves, some as young as six years old, during the bulk of the offending which occurred between 2017 and 2018.

Maltese called one victim, a 12-year-old girl, his “slutty pre-teen sex toy slave”.

The victim’s father intercepted Maltese’s communication and threatened the sicko.

The father asked Maltese if he had seen the end of Taken – a Liam Neeson action film where a father murders the criminals who kidnapped his daughter

“If you ever talk to my daughter again I’ll personally hunt you down like the animal you are,” the father said.

Judge Gavan Meredith acknowledged Maltese’s offending may not have been known without a confession as he was not being investigated by police at the time.

Maltese, who also pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to groom a person believed to be under the age of 16 and transmitting child pornography, was made a registered sex offender.

Aaron Stockton

FIEND BASKETBALL REF

A veteran basketball referee who posed as a bisexual teenage girl on Skype to solicit vile child porn material from several underage victims was jailed.

Aaron Stockton was last year sentenced in the County Court to five months’ jail after pleading guilty to multiple counts of solicit child pornography material using a carriage service.

Stockton posed as blonde teenage girl ‘amy t’ to lure and deceive his victims on Skype between April and October 2011.

Stockton engaged in lewd and sexually explicit communication with his victims and requested images and videos of themselves performing sexualised acts.

The predator made some of his victims — aged between 12 and 14 — kneel on their beds and perform lewd acts.

He also used internet language associated with young teens to keep his ruse going.

Some of Stockton’s victims requested he appear on camera but the sicko made excuses as to why he couldn’t.

Stockton asked one victim if she wanted to have “sum sxy fun” then requested she lift her top “coz it will b sxc”.

Stockton also asked a victim to put her hands down her pants because she “would like it”.

He asked a victim if she had ever touched herself before.

“Wanna learn? I can teachu I do it all the time,” Stockton said.

Stockton repeated his vile modus operandi with a another victim but she told him her dad was around.

Stockton suggested she go to the bathroom.

The fiend’s offending went undetected until police raided Stockton’s Gisborne home.

Investigators had information Stockton was in possession of child abuse material downloaded from peer-to-peer site ‘Shareaza’.

Stockton was nabbed with 1214 child porn images and videos including files which depicted sadism and bestiality.

Stockton told police he viewed the vile material for “sexual gratification” during “low moments” or when he was “depressed”.

He said he felt “wrong and dirty” and “instant regret” which would “kick in” when he was done.

Stockton also admitted to police he got a teenage girl to lift her top the day before his arrest, the court was told.

Stockton was stood down from the CFA with pay after he was charged.

He was a veteran basketball referee for Basketball Victoria Country.

One of Stockton’s roles within the organisation was to coach other referees.

Stockton, who appeared via videolink from Ravenhall Correctional Centre, was jailed for 12 months but was released onto an 18-month good behaviour bond after serving five months.

He was made a registered sex offender for life.

FILTH FOOTBALLER

A former “talented” Gippsland footballer who sexually violated a teenage schoolgirl AS jailed.

Jacob Kane, 28, was sentenced in the Shepparton County Court to a minimum three years’ jail after pleading guilty to persistent sexual abuse of a child under 16.

Kane sexually penetrated his 14-year-old victim after communicating with the girl via social media, the court was told.

Kane told his victim he believed she was 17 and asked her if she was “ok” with the sexual intercourse.

Police discovered messages of a “sexual” tone on Kane’s phone between he and the victim.

Kane later admitted transmitting naked images of his victim.

The victim told police Kane was aware she was underage.

Kane told police the victim sent his partner a message.

“I hope your boyfriend has fun in jail,” the message read.

Kane grew up in Gippsland but moved to Shepparton where he lived with his current girlfriend, the court was told.

The court heard Kane was a “talented young footballer” who mainly played ruck and centre half forward.

Kane played for Orbost Football Club but was picked up by the Gippsland Power after a best on ground performance in a league representative match.

Kane, who also pleaded guilty to possession of child porn, abused meth but hit rock bottom when a friend died after using a bad batch of ice.

Kane also received several references including from his primary school principal and “people involved with football”.

Judge Mark Gamble said Kane’s moral culpability was “significant”.

Kane was made a registered sex offender for life and jailed for a maximum five years.

Stephen Sedgley

FIEND’S VILE TAUNT AFTER ASSAULTING ‘VIRGIN’

A convicted sex offender had sex with a 15-year-old girl then made vile comments about her to a friend.

Stephen Sedgley was sentenced in the County Court to a minimum two years’ and six months’ jail after pleading guilty to charges including sexual penetration of a child under 16 years.

Sedgley had sex with his victim at a party at an Eaglehawk property.

Later that day, as Sedgley and friend drove to a supermarket, the fiend said he “f****d” his victim and “I can turn lesbians straight”.

The friend said that wasn’t possible because the victim was a “virgin”.

“Well I took that,” Sedgley said.

The victim reported Sedgley to police later that month and the fiend was arrested and charged on September 4.

The court heard Sedgley — who was on bail and serving a community correction order at the time of the offending — has a “relevant” criminal history.

In July 2018, Sedgley was convicted of knowingly possess child pornography and communicate with a child under sixteen.

In November 2018, Sedgley was convicted of failing to comply with reporting obligations under the Sex Offender Registration Act.

Sedgley was convicted again on March last year for two breaches of the sex offender act.

The court heard Sedgley was “untruthful” to psychologists regarding his recollection of the offending.

“This statement does not sit well with the denials that you made to the police in your record of interview, nor your bragging in relation to your offending against your 15-year-old victim,” Judge Christopher Ryan said.

“I must take protection of the community from you into account, in arriving at an appropriate sentence in your case.”

Sedgley – who had spent 284 days in custody was jailed for a maximum four years and 10 months.

He was made a registered sex offender for life.

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