Convicted child predator Rogelio Acosta Ruiz attends church meetings at PCYC after release from jail

The Mackay father was jailed for rape after telling a little girl to think of his penis like ‘a lollipop’.

Convicted child predator Rogelio Acosta Ruiz has been attending church meetings at a PCYC. He just faced Mackay District Court for breaching his suspended sentence over the meetings.

A convicted Mackay child predator who orally raped a young girl and told her to think of his penis like “a lollipop” has been attending church meetings at a PCYC.

This came to light as Rogelio Acosta Ruiz faced Mackay District Court for a “technical” breach of the suspended jail term imposed over the heinous rape.

In 2017, the now 37 year old came upon the child alone in her Mackay home – he knew her parents.

Ruiz made the little girl put his penis in her mouth and “told her to think of it as a lollipop” despite her telling him no at least once.

Rogelio Acosta Ruiz was convicted of raping a young girl in Mackay.

He also told her not to tell anyone.

In November 2019, Ruiz pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape and three counts of indecent treatment of a child – he was jailed for three years to be released on a suspended sentence after 12 months.

The penalty sparked community outrage and prompted a petition for a harsher penalty.

The case was appealed for being too lenient. Ultimately Queensland’s Court of appeal dismissed the push.

Now Ruiz has been back before the district court after he breached his reporting obligations as a convicted child sex offender.

Convicted child predator Rogelio Acosta Ruiz has been attending church meetings at a PCYC. He just faced Mackay District Court for breaching his suspended sentence over the meetings.

Crown Prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke said Ruiz had attended the Mackay Police and Citizens Youth Club for a church meeting and failed to report that he had attended as required.

The court heard he was fined $1000 when he pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to failing to comply with reporting obligations.

His guilty plea automatically resulted in a breach of the suspended sentence. He still has two years jail hanging over his head until November 2022.

Defence barrister Matt Heelan said it was not that his client did not report the attendance, he just reported it outside of seven days.

“He reported it within 14 days, so it was just a late reporting,” Mr Heelan said.

“I’m asking that the court not take any action today.”

Rogelio Acosta Ruiz was convicted of raping a young girl in Mackay.

Ruiz was released from jail in February 2020 and Mr Heelan said he had stayed at home “for about a year as a recluse”.

“And then going to PCYC to go to church was his way of reintegrating back into the community,” Mr Heelan said.

Judge Julie Dick accepted it was a “technical breach” and not a case where she would activate any of the suspended sentence.

Ruiz was sentenced to a “rising of the court”.

This meant he just had to sit in the gallery until Judge Dick adjourned, which occurred about 20 minutes later.

This publication contacted police media in relation to Ruiz going to a meeting at the PCYC.

A police spokesman said confirmed the incident.

It is understood the hall was not open for business at the time.

“In January the Queensland Police Service (QPS) was made aware of a man convicted of a reportable offence had attended a PCYC facility,” he said.

“He was part of a third-party group who hired a hall for a meeting.

“The group have since stopped hiring the venue.”

For 24-hour sexual violence support, phone the national hotline 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or MensLine on 1800 600 636.

Originally published as Convicted child predator Rogelio Acosta Ruiz attends church meetings at PCYC after release from jail