Symes under pressure to meet Jeffrey ‘Joffa’ Corfe’s victim over loophole that let him escape jail

The man raped by ex Pies cheer squad leader Jeffrey “Joffa” Corfe as a child wants to meet with Victoria’s Attorney-General over the justice system loophole that kept the pedophile from jail.

Jeffrey "Joffa" Corfe, former leader of the Collingwood AFL cheer squad, leaves court after pleading guilty to sexual penetration of a child. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Victoria’s Attorney-General is under pressure to meet with Jeffrey “Joffa” Corfe’s victim after the Andrews government refused to close a loophole that helped the convicted pedophile

escape jail, as detectives from Victoria Police interview Corfe over new allegations.

The former Collingwood cheer squad leader was given a 12-month suspended sentence earlier this year by the County Court for the 2005 rape of a 14-year old boy.

But as revealed by the Herald Sun, outdated “good character” references were submitted by Corfe’s legal team, and then relied on by Judge Gerard Mullaly as a key factor in reducing the sentence.

Convicted pedophile Corfe was given a suspended sentence. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Corfe’s victim, Alex Case, who has given permission for his name to be used, has written to Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes asking to meet and discuss the tightening of legislation for the use of character references, along with other concerns around the treatment of victims by the courts.

In a copy of the letter seen by the Herald Sun, Mr Case told Ms Syme he’d been hoping for justice, but was instead left “scarred”.

“I have experienced first-hand just how traumatic the Victorian justice system can be for victims,” he wrote.

“I was left with an outcome that honestly made me question why I bothered coming forward in the first place.”

Corfe’s lawyers filed an undated reference from a former fundraising manager for the Epilepsy Foundation, Jeremy Maxwell.

The document, which was written years before any allegations against Corfe, was submitted without the referees knowledge or approval.

Mr Maxwell was “appalled” when first told by the Herald Sun.

“If I’d known, I’d never have let it be used.”

There were also doubts around the validity of a reference from the late Father Bob McGuire.

The much-loved charity worker had no knowledge of the reference when contacted by the Herald Sun in March, and it’s believed Corfe’s legal team organised the letter with a member of the McGuire Foundation before the guilty plea.

The decision not to fix the loophole has put Premier Daniel Andrews in conflict with the state’s Commissioner for Victims, Fiona McCormack.

Ms McCormack has urged the government to make it a priority.

“While victims have to submit victim impact statements as statutory declarations, and abide by strict evidentiary rules,

offenders’ good character references are seemingly submitted without an real checks and balances,” she said.

Victoria Police are interviewing Corfe over fresh allegations. Picture: Getty Images

Despite the Premier initially agreeing the issue should be addressed, his government has refused to make changes, instead throwing it back to the County Court to fix.

However, Judge Mulally and Chief Judge Peter Kidd havecrepeatedly refused to answer questions since the Herald Sun first raised issues with Corfe’s character reference.

Ironically, NSW’s Attorney-General, Michael Daley, has ordered a review into the use of character references by child sex offenders, following a campaign that was sparked largely by the Corfe case in Victoria.

Attorney-General Symes would not respond to any questions.

This comes as Victoria Police interview Corfe over fresh allegations.

As revealed by the Herald Sun in April, Thomas (not his real name) told police he was sexually assaulted by Corfe in the public toilets at Flinders Street station in 1999.

The alleged victim, who was 16 at the time, says Corfe, 39, attacked him after they attended a Collingwood-Hawthorn game at the MCG.

“Melbourne Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives have interviewed a 63-year old Queensland man as part of a historical sexual assault investigation,” a police spokesman said.

“The man has been released pending further inquiries.”

Corfe described the allegation as a “lie”.