Prison bashing helps ADF member Caleb Horner avoid jail for child sex assault, court hears
A former ADF member has escaped more jail time in part because he was brutally bashed in his cell while awaiting his trial for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy.
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A former soldier has escaped more jail time — where he was savagely bashed while on remand — after a jury found him guilty of the sexual assault of a child he started messaging on Instagram.
Caleb Horner, 38, was sentenced in the County Court of Victoria on Thursday after he was found guilty of two counts of the sexual assault of a 14-year-old boy.
Horner, who joined the defence force after his offending, began talking to the high school student on Instagram in early 2020.
He asked for images of the boy in his school uniform and convinced the boy to meet up with him.
Horner picked up the child in his car and took him on a Maccas run before sexually assaulting him.
“You know I am 14 right,” the boy said to Horner.
Horner was 34 at the time of the sexual assault but lied to the boy and said he was 25.
Judge Stewart Bayles sentenced Horner to time served and a three year community corrections order with supervision, 250 hours of community service and mandated mental health treatment programs.
Horner was also placed on the sex offenders registry.
Judge Bayles said the sentence was not to be viewed as an easy sentence.
The court heard Horner previously served 274 days on remand while awaiting his trial, where he was subject to a brutal jailhouse bashing.
Horner was left with multiple face fractures and was hospitalised for 10 days after the assault.
He was also moved to protective custody for the remainder of his time in prison before he was bailed in August of 2022.
Horner’s victim attended the sentencing.
The court heard he has struggled since the attack and blames himself for meeting up with Horner and not telling his parents.
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