Depraved Langwarrin South dad Jason Dow jailed for grooming 15-year-old schoolgirl via Facebook
A Langwarrin South dad plied a schoolgirl with meth before sending his victim vile demands for sex via Facebook.
South East
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A Langwarrin South dad who plied a schoolgirl with meth before offering his victim cash for sex has been jailed.
Jason Dow, 30, was sentenced in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last Thursday to a minimum 12 months’ jail after pleading guilty to grooming a child for sex.
Dow drove his 15-year-old victim back to his parents’ Langwarrin South home where he gave the girl meth in October 2018.
He added his victim on Facebook then messaged her despite being in the same room at the time, the court was told.
Dow drove his victim back to Hampton then barraged the schoolgirl with lewd and vile images and messages via Facebook messenger and SMS.
Dow offered his victim $100 and meth for her to come over and have sex with him on multiple occasions.
Dow also sent several images of his erect penis to the traumatised victim.
“I’ll give you $100 if you can sit on that for half hour while smoking a pip (meth pipe) lol,” Dow said.
On another occasion, Dow messaged the victim who told the grub she was busy studying.
“Don’t u wanna stop studying n make $100 for half hour,” Dow said.
“Then u can study after up to u what are u scared u can’t take it last last (sic) half hour.”
Dow then followed up with another image of his erect penis.
On another day, Dow sent his victim 20 messages in quick succession but she did not respond to any.
Dow asked his victim what her “favourite position” was then offered her $75 for sex.
On November 29, Dow asked his victim to come over and have a “puff” because it was his birthday but his vile offending had already been reported to police.
Investigators arrested Dow at the home he shared with his parents that same day.
Dow admitted during his police interview that he sent his victim messages and images because he was a “f***ing idiot”.
The grub said he only stopped because the victim had blocked him on Facebook.
The schoolgirl, in her victim impact statement read to the court, said she suffered trauma and was too scared to go to school.
“I’m distressed, I’m disgusted with myself,” she said.
The court was told Dow had a “good childhood” but went on a “downward spiral” after a car accident when he was 18.
The former cabinet maker now excavator turned to heavy drug use and was using meth daily at the time of the offending, the court was told.
Dow, a father of two, has also not seen his children since 2017 despite no legal order preventing him from doing so.
The defence submitted Dow felt “shame and embarrassment” and admitted his “judgment was off” despite conceding the offending was “very unsavoury”.
However, Magistrate Luisa Bazzani could not find any evidence of remorse after Dow submitted a short scribbled letter which listed the ways he wanted to improve his life including not relying on his parents for financial support.
Magistrate Bazzani also dismissed the defence submission that Dow’s guilty plea was at the earliest popular opportunity.
The court was told Dow contributed to the delay of his matter by making no effort to seek legal representation and twice failing to appear.
In a scathing evaluation Magistrate Bazzani said Dow’s offending was “insidious” and “highly damaging to any child”.
“(Dow’s crimes were) calcultaed to harm this child,” Magistrate Bazzani said.
“I have no doubt whatsoever she was a particularly vulnerable child.
“It is clear the drugs were to incite sexual activity … (the) offending against the victim was to gratify you sexually.”
Magistrate said Dow’s letter contained “no reference by you to show any care or concern to your victim”.
“Self-pity in my view and self-indulgence,” Magistrate Bazzani said.
Dow, who also pleaded guilty to supplying a drug of dependence to a child and fail to answer bail, was jailed for a maximum 18 months.
He was made a registered sex offender for eight years.
