Ex Commonwealth Bank specialist Adam Aboughattas pleads guilty to indecent act with a child under 16

A former Melbourne CBA specialist was sacked after his brazen and serial sexual offending against a schoolgirl was exposed.

Adam Aboughattas pleaded guilty to indecent act with a child. Picture: LinkedIn.

A disgraced Melbourne banking guru who admitted driving a schoolgirl to a Bayside beach where he sexually violated her in his car as people walked by has been convicted.

Adam Aboughattas, 31, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ court on Monday to a two-year community correction order after pleading guilty to a rolled-up indecent act with a child under 16 charge.

Aboughattas indecently assaulted his victim after telling the then primary schoolgirl he studied podiatry and massage and he needed “help” with an upcoming exam.

He told his victim to close her eyes and “not watch” before placing her feet on his crotch.

Aboughattas unzipped his pants and performed a vile act on the child.

The lewd offending occurred in Cheltenham almost 10 years ago.

The victim recalled her torment when Aboughattas violated her again, this time in his car which was parked on Beach Rd at the time.

Aboughattas had earlier picked up the victim — who was wearing her school uniform — from school and drove her to the beach.

The victim feared she would be hurt if she escaped or yelled for help, the court was told.

Aboughattas, who also committed lewd offending which occurred in Brighton, appeared via virtual link with his camera switched off for a plea hearing heard in February after the court was told the victim was present in court.

The police prosecutor said the victim wanted to see Aboughattas and he see her because she was neither “fearful” nor “scared of him”.

The brave victim tearfully read her victim impact statement to the court after Aboughattas’ vile offending was laid bare.

“Things started not making me happy I felt like the world didn’t stimulate me anymore,” the victim said.

“Everything was just darker and more dull and I felt sad and I still do to this day. I struggle to feel right but I’m working on it … it won’t ever be the same …

“I still feel like an alien, people my age are doings things … I’m stuck in a mindset where I don’t feel real happiness …

“I don’t think anything can repay what you have taken from me …

“I did everything I was supposed to do and it didn’t fix it and I suppose that’s when I realised I don't think it ever will be (OK).

“I now just see the world differently and I feel different … I just try to live the life I know I deserve but now I think I will always struggle with it and I just try and become stronger.

“The scars on my face will always remind me how bad it made me feel and how much it hurt and I just can’t explain it.

“I cried myself to sleep, it just doesn't go away … I wake up in a state of fear everyday … you get to live your life and I don’t.

“I still feel alone and I still cry but I think today will give some closure knowing people know what you did even if I am part of it.

“That time in the car I still get vivid flashbacks I remember seeing people walk past your car at Beach Rd but your car windows were tinted and nobody could see me, nobody could help me, I was thinking of running out of the car that time and yelling for help but I was scared you would hurt me if I tried to escape or get someone’s attention.

“You made me tell you how it felt, again and again in your sick and twisted way …

“I was terrified. I hate myself for not remembering what happened after you did your usual.

“I feel scared to sleep now. I just can’t wrap my head around how someone could do that to a child … I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone.”

Magistrate Roslyn Porter commended the victim for her courage.

“I want to thank you for being brave enough to come to court,” Magistrate Porter said.

“And to be brave enough to write in good detail the impact of the offending by (Aboughattas) against you.

“It’s very important for courts to understand the impact of offending on you and you can tell us about that.”

The prosecutor also thanked the victim for her “very powerful” statement.

Magistrate Porter said, at Monday’s sentencing, Aboughattas, a former Commonwealth Bank home lending specialist, was asked by his CBA manager to resign after his deviant offending was exposed by the Herald Sun in March this year.

Aboughattas, a former graphic designer and photographer, was convicted and made a registered sex offender for eight years.

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