Named: Toowoomba man jailed for abducting Brisbane girl days after Snapchat add

Every parent’s worst nightmare came to fruition when a 13-year-old Brisbane girl was taken by a Toowoomba man she met on the internet just two days prior.

Young Toowoomna man, Jesse Ryan Penn-Hite will be released from custody after he serves one year behind bars.

A young Toowoomba man has been jailed for committing two serious crimes – abducting a 13-year-old Brisbane teen for sexual purposes and robbing a teen at knifepoint.

Toowoomba District Court heard the 19-year-old Jesse Ryan Penn-Hite had poor mental health when he committed the crimes in early 2023.

The court heard Penn-Hite began talking to the girl on Snapchat in March.

After talking for two days, sometimes in a flirtatious manner, the pair organised an “escape plan”.

The troubled girl told Penn-Hite she was scared of her family, but the court heard what he did not know was hours before they began chatting online, she had spent a night in hospital for mental health reasons.

Jesse Ryan Penn-Hite has been in police custody since his arrest following a violent robbery in mid-2024.

Crown prosecutor Emily Coley said Penn-Hite organised a friend to drive him to Brisbane on March 25.

The teen fled on foot from a family event at a park to the car waiting nearby.

Ms Coley said police, who put out a missing person report for the child, quickly located her at Penn-Hite’s home.

The court heard the girl was taken to Toowoomba Police Station, but when she was released she went back to Penn-Hite’s home, and remained there for about a week.

Ms Coley said there was no evidence or admissions that anything sexual occurred between the pair.

A photo of the pair together, with the girl wearing a bra and tracksuit pants, was found on his phone.

She said two months after Penn-Hite was charged and released on bail, he and a friend robbed an autistic teenager who allegedly threatened them with violence on Facebook.

The 16-year-old victim was walking with a friend when he spotted the pair and attempted to run and hide.

Ms Coley said Penn-Hite levelled a knife at the boy, demanding he hand over his shoes and bag, or else he would “kill him”.

She said Penn-Hite pulled a chain from the boy’s neck and put him in a choke hold, but the victim managed to run away and seek help from a nearby motel.

Penn-Hite’s raft of serious offending culminated with him perverting the course of justice by telling the victim he would give him his property back if he told police he lied about the knife and assault.

An incriminating video recording of the phone call was later found on Penn-Hite’s phone, the court heard.

Jesse Ryan Penn-Hite will be released from custody after he serves one year behind bars.

Penn-Hite pleaded guilty to armed robbery in company with violence, perverting the course of justice, grooming a child under the age of 16 with intent to procure her for a sexual act, and abducting a child under the age of 16, without permission from her lawful guardian.

The court heard Penn-Hite had a difficult upbringing marred by violence, mental health and learning difficulties, and trauma which included the death of his baby brother in a car crash.

Judge Benedict Power KC said while the offending was an unusual example of a child abduction charge, it, and his other charges were still very serious.

He noted Penn-Hite’s mental health was quite fragile, noting the sentence had to be delayed due to his clear distress, and while in jail the small-built man had to be separated by other inmates for his protection.

Penn-Hite was sentenced to a four-year jail term, suspended after 12 months, and a three-year probation order.

Once Penn-Hite serves out his remaining two-and-a-half months behind bars, he will be subjected to a suspended sentence for four years.

The court heard one released, he had good work prospects and the support of his mother.

A conviction was recorded for every charge, except grooming.

The 288 days Penn-Hite served in pre-sentence custody was declared as time served.