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Attorney-General lodges appeal over penalty handed to Mackay teen sex offender

The sentence which allowed a high risk teen predator who broke into a Qld home and molested a sleeping 10-year-old girl to walk free with no conviction is being appealed by the state’s Attorney General.

A Mackay teen forced his way into a secured home and molested a sleeping 10-year-old girl.
A Mackay teen forced his way into a secured home and molested a sleeping 10-year-old girl.

Queensland’s Attorney-General has lodged an appeal over the sentence of a “high risk” teen sex offender who forced his way into a locked home and molested a sleeping 10-year-old girl.

It comes after the teen avoided further detention and escaped without a conviction in Mackay Childrens Court despite a previous attempted rape.

“In my view, the sentence does not meet community expectations,” Minister for Justice Deb Frecklington said on Thursday.

About 10.30pm in mid 2024 the teen entered a locked home through a kitchen window after removing a security screen, went into the child’s bedroom and abused her as she slept, the court recently heard.

When she woke up, he pinned her to her bed and told her, “I’m your friend” before she screamed and ran to her parents' room. After the terrifying ordeal she slept in her parent’s bed for six months, suffered nightmares and flashbacks of the assault.

A Mackay teen forced his way into a secured home and molested a sleeping 10-year-old girl.
A Mackay teen forced his way into a secured home and molested a sleeping 10-year-old girl.

The court also heard the offending was committed while the now 18-year-old had been on probation for an attempted rape at Townsville, for which he had also been given the benefit of no conviction.

And despite completing a two-year treatment program with Griffith Youth Forensic Service, two psychologists found the teen, who has ongoing mental health issues, was an “increased risk of sexual offence with recidivism” and a high risk of further offending.
The teen pleaded guilty to four charges including burglary and indecent treatment of a child, was given two years detention with a six-month conditional release order and two years' probation, with convictions not recorded.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has appealed the sentence deeming it did not meet community expectations. Picture: Liam Kidston
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has appealed the sentence deeming it did not meet community expectations. Picture: Liam Kidston

During sentencing Judge John Allen KC said, “Your child victim herself and her younger brother have suffered profound and continuing psychological impacts … because of the terror engendered in them by your offending.”

He also accepted the teen was a “high risk of sexual offence recidivism” and there were concerns of “an emerging paraphiliac disorder associated with high-risk sexual fantasies motivating your offending”.

Despite telling the teen “concerns of you reoffending particularly in a sexual way are grave” and that community protection was important, Judge Allen placed more weight on his prospects of rehabilitation.

Ms Frecklington on Thursday confirmed she had instructed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to lodge an appeal against the penalty.

“This was a terrifying event, and I can only imagine the profound trauma the victim has faced,” she said.

“My thoughts are with the young victim and her family.”

Originally published as Attorney-General lodges appeal over penalty handed to Mackay teen sex offender

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/attorneygeneral-lodges-appeal-over-penalty-handed-to-mackay-teen-sex-offender/news-story/425ea20762c073e344c0a6c06101bf34