Connor Pappin sexually assaulted a mum at a Mildura shopping centre in baby change room while brandishing a knife

A Mildura creep who sexually assaulted a vulnerable mum in a baby change room at a Mildura shopping centre while brandishing a knife has made a bold attempt to get out of jail early.

Connor Pappin sexually assaulted a mum while brandishing a knife as she changed her baby’s nappy. Picture: Stuart Kavanagh

A creep who sexually assaulted a mum while she was changing her baby’s nappy at a Mildura shopping centre has launched an audacious bid to cut his “merciful” prison sentence short.

Connor Pappin, 22, fronted the County Court sitting in Mildura from behind bars to appeal the eight-month sentence and an 18 month community corrections order he was handed on charges of sexual activity in the presence of a child under the age of 16 and abduction or detention for a sexual purpose.

In October 2023, Pappin entered a baby changing facility at a Mildura shopping centre, brandished a pocket knife at his victim and told her, “if you don’t show me your b--bs, I am going to stab you”.

Pappin told the mum “if you don’t show me your b--bs, I am going to stab you” while she was trapped in a baby change room at a Mildura shopping centre. Picture: Stuart Kavanagh

The victim was changing her five-month-old’s nappy when the incident occurred.

He demanded the victim pull her pants down as well before she managed to escape.

Pappin’s lawyer Max Hume spoke to his client’s mental culpability and questioned whether he fully grasped the seriousness of the offending.

But this was rebuked by Judge John Kelly who pointed out Pappin had told police during his record of interview he had “done something inappropriate and I have done a stupid thing”.

Mr Hume added that his client had spent a lot of time behind bars and urged the court to consider the length of the sentence.

“My client has done a significant amount of time in custody ... Your Honour should consider if any more punishment is necessary,” Mr Hume said.

County Court Judge John Kelly upheld the sentence handed down to Pappin at the County Court sitting in Mildura.

Crown prosecutor David O’Doherty said the sentence handed down to Pappin was a merciful one and Pappin knew “precisely what he was doing.”

The victim on the matter sat front and centre in court during the appeal hearing while Pappin appeared on an AV link from remand and didn’t raise his head once during the hearing.

Ultimately Judge Kelly denied the appeal and upheld the original eight month jail term handed down in February by Magistrate Rose Falla.

Pappin will be released from custody in August and will commence an 18 month community corrections order.

He will be placed on the sex offenders registry for eight years.