The Office of Public Prosecutions has confirmed it will not appeal Jeff ‘Joffa’ Corfe’s sentence

The man who was sexually abused as a child by Jeff “Joffa” Corfe says he is concerned about the message the OPP’s decision sends other victims.

The man who was sexually abused as a child by Collingwood super fan Jeffrey “Joffa” Corfe says his quest for justice was “all for nothing”.

Alex Case, who gave the Herald Sun permission to name him, said he was “obviously disappointed” after Victoria’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Kerri Judd KC, decided not to appeal Corfe’s sentence.

But Mr Case said he was “most concerned about the message” that Ms Judd’s final verdict would send to other victims.

“It’s reasonable for them to expect closure after finding the courage to go to the police, and then through the justice system, but outcomes like this stop other victims from coming forward,” he told the Herald Sun.

Former Collingwood cheer squad leader Jeff ‘Joffa’ Corfe. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“We should be able to rely on the justice system to provide justice. I dragged myself through this awful process for two years and for what? There was nothing in this case for me.

“I question why I bothered. There are no positives in this for me.

“When it comes to violent crimes that inflicts permanent trauma the justice system needs to be more victim-centric.”

The former Collingwood cheer squad leader escaped an immediate prison term last month after he was found guilty of sexually abusing Mr Case in 2005, when he was just 14.

Victoria’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Kerri Judd KC decided not to appeal Corfe’s sentence. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Corfe, 62, was sentenced to a 12-month jail term but it was wholly suspended for two years.

Ms Judd on Tuesday afternoon confirmed she would not appeal the sentence, despite community outrage and pleas from Mr Case to do so.

In a statement, Ms Judd said she had “carefully considered” the sentence but found there was “no reasonable prospect” the OPP would win an appeal.

“In light of all the relevant sentencing considerations – and in particular having regard to the fact that the law at the relevant to the fact that the law at the relevant time regarded a wholly suspended sentence as a sentence of imprisonment — there is no reasonable prospect that the Court of Appeal would consider the wholly suspended sentence to be outside the range of available sentencing options,” she said.

Ms Judd said the use of suspended sentences have since been abolished in Victoria – but are still available for offences committed before they were eliminated.

“The offence in this case was committed in 2005, so a suspended sentence was still an available sentencing option,” she added.

Mr Case said he believed there was too much of a focus put on Corfe’s health and the potential impact that a jail sentence could have on his well being.

“Where was the consideration for me? What about the impact on my health? How onerous is my life going to be now, knowing he got away with it,” he added.

It comes as Victoria’s leading victims of crime advocate called for an overhaul of the “good character” reference system after the Herald Sun revealed an old statement from a charity boss was used to vouch for Corfe without the author’s knowledge.