Isiah Campbell sentenced to six years jail after sexual assault of 9-year-old Palmerston boy

A judge has issued a grave warning about a 22-year-old who was caught naked with a nine-year-old boy in a Palmerston home. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Isiah Campbell was sentenced to six years in jail, setting a four years and six months non-parole period for the unlawful entry and for committing an act of “gross indecency” on a child.

A Territory judge has warned she had “no confidence” that a man who broke into a home and sexually assaulted a nine-year-old boy would be rehabilitated over his six-year jail term.

Isiah Campbell was homeless and likely intoxicated when he snuck into a Palmerston home on December 7, 2022 looking for “ciggy papers, and to steal food or money”.

Instead the 22-year-old recently released prisoner found a nine-year-old boy alone and asleep on the couch.

On Monday the Supreme Court in Darwin heard that the little boy asked the stranger “Who are you?”

“I’m your uncle, I live across the road,” Campbell lied.

The 22-year-old took off his pants, before grabbing at the little boy’s shorts and underwear.

As the child punched and struggled to get away, Campbell told him: “Sit on my lap. If you don’t I will bash you”.

Justice Jenny Blokland said the “prolonged and sustained” assault “could not have happened to a more vulnerable child”.

He then picked up his struggling victim and carried him to a nearby bedroom.

When the boy’s aunt returned home to an empty lounge room she started to worry.

She screamed as she opened the bedroom door to find a naked stranger in the bed with her nephew.

“Who the f—k are you? What the f—k is going on?”

The 22-year-old stared at her before slowly walking out the door — only grabbing a single item of clothing as he left.

A 55-hour manhunt tracked Campbell down to a Palmerston phone box.

Justice Jenny Blokland said the “prolonged and sustained” assault “could not have happened to a more vulnerable child”.

Justice Jenny Blokland said Campbell was released from prison into homelessness nine days before the assault.

Justice Blokland said more than 10 months later, the young boy was still waiting to see counsellors to address his trauma.

The court heard Campbell himself experienced domestic violence and neglect — having witnessed his father being killed when he was eight years old.

“Troubled childhood does not sufficiently describe the level of harm,” Justice Blokland said.

She said Campbell was released from prison into homelessness nine days before the assault.

More than half of all Australian prisoners are expected to be homeless upon release, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

“Serving a term of prison did nothing to rehabilitate him, nor consequently protect the community,” Justice Blokland said.

She sentenced him to six years in jail, setting a four years and six months non-parole period for the unlawful entry and for committing an act of “gross indecency” on a child.

However she warned: “There can be no confidence that he will be rehabilitated.”

“It is clear his substance abuse issues and lack of stable housing need to be addressed as protective measures for community safety.”

Due to his cognitive difficulties, post traumatic stress disorder and intellectual impairments, Ms Blokland said his future release should be under a supervised NDIS plan.

Originally published as Isiah Campbell sentenced to six years jail after sexual assault of 9-year-old Palmerston boy