Robert Goeldner fronts court over raping a woman at a caravan park

An award-winning lions club volunteer and Scouts leader raped an unconscious woman at a caravan park and took a photo of her semi-naked body.

Robert George Goeldner has been jailed for raping an unconscious woman in a park after she refused her suggestion that they begin a relationship. Picture: Tinnakorn Jorruang

An award-winning Lions Club volunteer and Scouts leader who raped an unconscious woman at a park before taking a photo of her semi-naked body claims his victim initiated the sex.

Robert George Goeldner, 74, committed the offence at a Cohuna caravan park on June 1, 2021 after the woman refused his suggestion that they start a relationship.

Goeldner was sentenced to four years’ and 10 months’ jail on charges of rape, sexual assault and common law assault when he appeared for sentencing in the County Court on Thursday.

The former Newcastle man served as a Scouts leader and ran the school’s band the Marching Koalas, which played all over the country and even overseas.

He was also a Lions Club member for many years and won awards for community service.

Goeldner grabbed his victim’s jaw and neck so hard that she was unable to move her mouth.

During his plea hearing in October, the court heard that Goeldner also cooked for fireys fighting fires on the North Coast of NSW, sizzling snags in “16 hour shifts”.

At his sentencing, Judge Rosemary Carlin described Goeldner’s offending as “most extraordinary” given that he had an unblemished record up until his criminal behaviour.

She said after touching the victim’s breast, Goeldner digitally penetrated her, dragged the chair she was unconscious on towards a vehicle and removed her clothes.

He then put her naked body on a quilt, undressed himself and laid next to her.

Judge Carlin said the victim woke up and discovered Goeldner on top of him and fought to defend herself, including biting his tongue which was in her mouth.

Robert Goeldner has been sentenced by the County Court in Bendigo to four years and 10 months for the brutal rape of a woman. Picture: Zizi Averill

In order to keep her quiet, Judge Carlin said Goeldner grabbed the victim’s jaw and neck so hard that she was unable to move her mouth and passed out again.

“You knew she was not interested in you, and you knew she was so drunk as to be unconscious, but you did not care. You treated her like an object,” Judge Carlin said.

“While the rape may have been short-lived, it was violent. It is hard to fathom why you would take a photograph of her unconscious and semi naked body in the chair after raping her.

“Your explanation for why you later undressed her and lay down naked on top of her, namely to keep her warm, is quite frankly laughable.”

Judge Carlin said Goeldner told police that his victim initiated sexual activity between them and initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Goeldner will be eligible for parole in two years and five months.