Gippsland high school tutor Adam Schapendonk jailed for having sex with underage girl
A Gippsland high school tutor and online vitamin entrepreneur — who only stopped wetting the bed at 13 — has been busted having sex with a child. But one dad gave the sex fiend a character reference for court.
South East
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A Gippsland high school tutor who sexually abused a “vulnerable” child has been jailed.
Adam Schapendonk, 43, was sentenced in the County Court on Wednesday to a minimum 18 months’ jail after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16.
Schapendonk met his victim when she was only 13 before his offending started in late 2018.
The child’s father discovered lewd images of his daughter then reported Schapendonk to police.
Schapendonk, who told police he “should’ve known better”, was charged in late 2019.
Police discovered 69 lewd images of the young victim in Schapendonk’s possession.
Schapendonk, from Morwell, continued tutoring local children even after he was charged.
A father of two children tutored by Schapendonk gave the sex fiend a character reference which was tendered to the court.
The court heard Schapendonk was aged 13 when he stopped wetting the bed.
Schapendonk also claimed to be a virgin when he first sexually violated his victim.
Despite early setbacks, Schapendonk became a high-achieving student and successful businessman.
Schapendonk has a science degree, a graduate diploma in teaching, a masters in education and a masters in statistics.
He abandoned his dreams of becoming a teacher when he was unable to control a classroom while on placement in Hamilton in the early 2000s, the court heard.
Schapendonk took up tutoring in 2006 then launched his online vitamin business in 2008.
The company did well enough for Schapendonk to buy several properties in Morwell where he established himself as a tutor in 2016.
Judge Amanda Fox took into account Schapendonk’s early guilty plea and his full admissions to police.
“Sexual offences occurring when the victim is a child and unwilling to make a statement can be difficult if not impossible to prosecute and prove,” Judge Fox said.
However, Judge Fox said the “vulnerable” victim was “grappling with issues”.
“Children are not mature enough to appreciate the consequences of their behaviour and decisions (which is why there are laws to protect them),” Judge Fox said.
Schapendonk — who also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography — was jailed for a maximum three years.
He was also made a registered sex offender for life.
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