DHS care worker jailed for sex abuse on teenager
A CARE worker who plied a teenager with ice before sexually abusing him multiple times could be free from prison in less than three years.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A CARE worker who plied a teenager with ice before sexually abusing him multiple times could be free from prison in less than three years.
County Court Judge Richard Maidment said Department of Human Services worker Serge Ranwala, 50, had repeatedly exploited the trust of his 19-year-old victim.
“You took advantage of a person who was plainly cognitively impaired,” Judge Maidment said.
“You showed no insight into the effects of what you were doing to your victim and that you breached your duty and trust in such a reprehensible way.
“You showed no remorse, not a skerrick of remorse.”
Sri Lankan-born Ranwala was found guilty last year of two counts of committing an indecent act with a person having a cognitive impairment while a worker at a DHS facility; and nine counts of sexual penetration.
He was sentenced today to a maximum of four years and eight months behind bars, with a non-parole period of three years.
That term will be discounted by Ranwala having already served 104 days in pre-sentence detention.
The court heard the episodes of sexual abuse happened while Ranwala was on night shift in May, 2014, with another incident occurring at his home.
Judge Maidment described Ranwala as a highly educated man who practised as an architect in Sri Lanka.
But he said the fact that Ranwala, who denied his guilt, had no prior convictions did little to discount the severity of his crimes.
“These offences are almost always committed by persons with no prior convictions,” Judge Maidment said.
Ranwala will be placed on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.