NT man Dennis Clegg convicted of having sexual intercourse with minor

The court heard police identified the offender, who had already been convicted of having sex with the same victim, after collecting blood from the newborn’s umbilical cord.

Dennis Clegg has been convicted of having sexual intercourse with a minor.

A Tennant Creek man who impregnated a 14-year-old girl has been sentenced, after having already been convicted of having sex with the same child.

On March 26, Dennis Clegg, 30, appeared at Alice Springs Supreme Court to be sentenced for having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 16.

The court heard Clegg, who was 27-years-old at the time of the offending, had sex with the girl after she visited his Tennant Creek home.

The victim fell pregnant and gave birth to a child the following year.

Following the birth, NT Police executed a search warrant and seized a vial of blood from the newborn’s umbilical cord.

A DNA analysis determined Clegg to be the biological father of the child.

The court heard Clegg was arrested at Tennant Creek Police Station after he was found to be the child’s biological father. Picture: Alex Treacy

Clegg was ultimately arrested at Tennant Creek police station, with the victim subsequently identifying Clegg as the offender.

In court, Justice Judith Kelly said the offence had “lifelong consequences” for the victim.

“She became pregnant as a result of the offending and became a mother (when she was) only a child herself who should have been attending school and enjoying the freedom of a relatively carefree teenage life.”

The court heard that at the time of the offence, Clegg had been on a suspended sentence for having sexual intercourse with the same victim previously.

Clegg also carries one prior conviction for aggravated assault, as well as “minor miscellaneous and driving offences”.

The court heard Clegg had three children from a previous marriage and had “significant work history” in truck driving, fencing, mustering and youth work.

It was also heard Clegg had “strong family support” and a “job waiting” for him pending his release.

Justice Kelly noted the offence was “prevalent”, especially in Central Australia. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Justice Kelly said she needed to impose a sentence that would “discourage other men” for an offence that was “prevalent, especially here in Central Australia”.

“Having said all that I also need to place weight on rehabilitation,” she said.

“You have had a good work history before committing these offences and you have a good work history in prison.”

Clegg was handed three years imprisonment backdated to when he was arrested, however his sentence was suspended with immediate effect due to having already served almost two years in “quite unacceptable conditions”.

Clegg will remain under the supervision of a probation and parole officer for 18 months and also placed on the sexual offenders register.

Originally published as NT man Dennis Clegg convicted of having sexual intercourse with minor