Gladstone man jailed for indecent assault of young girl on trampoline

After luring a young girl onto a trampoline and assaulting her, a Central Qld man told her why she shouldn’t dob on him. It wasn’t long before a second child became his next victim.

A man has been jailed in the District Court at Gladstone after pleading guilty to one count of indecent treatment of a child under 12, under care (domestic violence offence). Generic image.

A Central Queensland man has been jailed for abusing a young girl in his care.

The 23-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, was sentenced in the District Court at Gladstone after pleading guilty to one count of indecent treatment of a child under 12, under care (domestic violence offence).

The court heard the man was 19 or 20 at the time of the offending and the victim child was three to four years old.

He was the foster brother of the girl’s mum.

The court was told that on the day of the offence, the man invited the girl to play outside with him on the trampoline.

She joined him and they played for a period of time.

The man then laid the girl flat on her back and touched her explicitly on the outside of her pants.

There was a loud noise, and the man stopped.

He told the girl not to tell anyone about what had happened because if she did, he would have to go to a new home.

The court heard that at the time of the offending, the man had no prior convictions, but he subsequently indecently dealt with a different child.

In relation to his “worse” offending against the second child, he was convicted after trial and sentenced to two years’ jail suspended after serving 12 months, as well as probation.

He had spent 377 days in pre-sentence custody.

Barrister Sean Franklin said the man had a “tragic upbringing” and he had family in court to support him.

Mr Franklin said when the man was released from custody, he wanted to get work in construction or mining.

The court heard the man had undergone counselling and was willing to undertake future counselling.

During sentencing, Judge Amanda McDonnell referred to a victim impact statement, saying it was clear the man’s offending had had a “significant impact” on the child and her family.

Judge McDonnell sentenced the man to a further three months’ jail, with only 11 days’ pre-sentence custody declared as time already served.

Upon his release from prison, the man will be on probation with conditions for two years.

Originally published as Gladstone man jailed for indecent assault of young girl on trampoline