Joel Douglas Jorgensen jailed in Mackay court for raping child

A registered child sex offender used a predatory trick to prey on a young teen who was avoiding police, abusing her as she lay beside her school friend “too scared to move”.

Joel Douglas Jorgensen was jailed in a Mackay court for raping a child. Picture: LinkedIn

A convicted child sex offender has preyed on a teenage girl who was avoiding police, offering her a getaway before raping her.

Joel Douglas Jorgensen, who became a registered child sex offender after he tried to procure sex with teenage girls via Snapchat and sent them photos of his penis, was in Mackay about 10.30pm on Tuesday, September 5 last year.

Mackay District Court heard the then 34 year old approached a 13-year-old girl and her school friend who were sitting in a paddock.

Crown prosecutor Lydia Devereaux said the children told Jorgensen they were trying to avoid police and he in turn said officers were at the nearby service station.

He offered to “protect them” and they got into his car.

Ms Devereaux said Jorgensen drove to his mother’s house to pick up a swag before heading to Seaforth where they camped for the night.

The court heard Jorgensen digitally raped the 13-year-old as she lay beside her friend and was “too scared to move”.

Ms Devereaux said the morning after, Jorgensen drove the teens to a Mackay shopping centre after which his victim immediately told her friends and her mum about the rape.

She said police found and arrested Jorgensen nine days later and he had remained in jail since.

Ms Devereaux said it was “very concerning” Jorgensen’s criminal behaviour had escalated since he became a registered child sex offender.

“It’s evidence he has not been deterred by previous sentences,” she said as she submitted for a jail sentence of three years and nine months.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan, instructed by McKays Solicitors, agreed with the prosecution’s submission.

Mr McLennan said Jorgensen knew using drugs was a “significant risk factor” for his child sexual offending and he would need to “maintain his abstinence” once out of jail.

Along with rape, the court heard Jorgensen was charged with four counts of failing to report, two of which pertained to his contact with the teenagers and the other counts related to not updating police about vehicles.

Judge Terry Gardiner said Jorgensen had a “significant” criminal history which included trafficking, producing and supplying dangerous drugs; breaching suspended sentences; assault occasioning bodily harm; burglary; and attempting to procure a sexual act with a minor.

He said the victim impact statement revealed the rape had “significantly” harmed the victim and her family, with her having to leave Mackay and her parents separating.

“It’s clear your behaviour was predatory, the complainant was vulnerable,” Judge Gardiner told Jorgensen as he appeared via videolink from Capricornia Correctional Centre.

He sentenced Jorgensen to three years and nine months in jail with a parole eligibility date of December 14, 2024, declaring just over eight months as time already served.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Joel Douglas Jorgensen jailed in Mackay court for raping child