Rockdale Opera theatre fiend Rory Struthers avoids jail term after pleading guilty to sexual assault

A dirty thespian who sexually assaulted a woman while at a Melbourne show has had the curtains drawn on his grubby acts.

Rory Struthers pleaded guilty to sexual assault. Facebook.

An amateur actor who was exposed as a serial sex fiend whose trail of victims included a woman he sexually assaulted while in Melbourne has avoided a jail term.

Rory Struthers, 33, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday to a 12-month community correction order after pleading guilty to sexual assault.

Struthers, who appeared via videolink from NSW, assaulted his victim while at a North Melbourne opera event in 2017.

The court heard Struthers was sitting next to his victim when the brazen grub assaulted the woman during the show.

Struthers was an actor with the Sydney-based Rockdale Opera Company at the time of the assault and had been cast in a then upcoming 2017 production of The Gondoliers.

The court heard Struthers had earlier photographed and filmed the groin of a Rockdale Opera Company colleague in 2016.

The pair had been working on a production in NSW at the time and Struthers was later found guilty in November 2018 of commit an act of indecency.

Struthers, from Tumbi Umbi on Sydney’s Central Coast, briefly left an earlier hearing after he couldn’t stop sobbing.

“I’m starting to feel sick,” he said.

Struthers’ lawyer told the court his client was also sentenced for a string of sex offences he committed in NSW November 2016 and September 2017.

The fiend filmed victims while his fly was undone in a manner which was described as “upskirting”.

The court was told a 14-year-old girl and 17-year-old girl were among Struthers many victims.

Struthers was sentenced to three concurrent community orders and placed on the child protection registry, the court heard.

Struthers sought treatment after his arrest and was diagnosed with adult autism.

A psychologist opined Struthers “lacked etiquette” and was “unable to detect the nuances of gaining full consent for sexual overtures” due to his autism.

Struthers, who works in admin, has maintained stable employment and is in a relationship with a woman, the court heard.

The defence submitted delay in the matter due to “police inactivity” should be taken into account when sentencing.

The court was told Struthers’ current employer is aware of the offending but remains “supportive”.

Magistrate Pauline Spencer said it was “serious offending” but took into account the delay in the matter and efforts made by Struthers to seek treatment.

“You took that (control of her own body) away from her,” Magistrate Spencer said.

Struthers, who is currently serving a NSW court order, may be allowed to serve out his sentence while in the community in NSW.

Struthers was convicted but was not made a registered sex offender.

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