Reilly Owen Manning faces Mackay court for rape, sexual assault of woman

A former high school sports vice captain has had an ‘inexcusable’ fall from grace apologising to his rape victim in front of family and friends in court. Warning: Distressing content

Reilly Manning faced Mackay District Court on Tuesday, June 5, 2024. Picture: Contributed

A former high school sports vice captain has taken an “inexcusable” fall from grace as he apologised to his rape victim before his family and friends in court.

Mackay District Court on Tuesday heard Reilly Owen Manning raped and twice sexually assaulted a woman, leaving her traumatised and unable to be the person she feels her family deserves.

Crown prosecutor Steph Gallagher said Manning and his victim had been having consensual sex but were not in a relationship leading up to the first assault.

Ms Gallagher said the victim woke to Gallagher rubbing her.

He continued for about 30 seconds until she rolled away from him and put a pillow between them as a deterrence.

“Then on the 29th of January she went out with a group of friends,” Ms Gallagher said.

“She was drunk, she asked (Manning) to pick her up which he did.

“She went to sleep in his bed but again when she woke up, he was lying over her, he was giving her a hickey on her neck and put his fingers inside of her vagina and raped her.”

She later texted Manning to say “she was sick of waking up to him doing that to her”, that his actions were “traumatic as f**k”, and that she would report him to police.

The court heard Manning messaged back that “he knew how serious and traumatic it was for her”.

But when the victim messaged him to say she felt he was not remorseful, he replied: “What the f**k do you want from me?”

Ms Gallagher said the victim’s impact statement spoke about how the rape and sexual assaults had affected her sexual relationships with others, as well as her mental health and anxiety, as she now “locks her door at night no matter who’s in the home”.

Ms Gallagher said it has also affected how her client cares for her family.

Reilly Manning faced Mackay District Court on Tuesday, June 5, 2024. Picture: Contributed

The prosecution pushed for Manning to receive a head sentence of three years jail with about nine months spent in actual custody, given factors like his “clear efforts” towards rehabilitation.

Manning then read aloud his apology for his “inexcusable” offending to the victim.

“You trusted me to be there for you and protect you when you were vulnerable ... and on these two occasions I failed,” he said.

Barrister Kim Bryson, on behalf of Fisher Dore Lawyers, said Manning was born and raised in Mackay “in a loving and caring environment” and was the school captain at Andergrove State School and a sports vice captain at Mackay North State High School.
“His parents certainly speak to the fact that he was a young, confident, determined and ambitious teenager but that’s fallen away in recent years,” Ms Bryson said, adding Manning was an emotionally-confused and struggling with mental health at the time of his offending and had since attended 11 sessions with a psychologist.

She said the psychologist report showed his personality traits like a lack of assertiveness would make jail more onerous on him as he was more likely than others to succumb to bad influences.

Ms Bryson said the psychologist further noted Manning was at low risk of sexual recidivism as she asked Judge Terry Gardiner to consider a non-custodial sentence so her client could attend TAFE this year and progress his apprenticeship.

She also mentioned Manning had received extra curial punishment, citing an incident where pizza was delivered to his home with a docket saying “rapist” at the top.

Judge Gardiner said negative experiences in jail were not uncommon but his sentencing would take into account Manning’s youth, his absence of prior criminal history, his genuine remorse, and his early guilty pleas to rape plus two counts of sexual assault.

Manning received a head sentence of two-and-a-half years jail, wholly suspended with an operational period of three years.

Judge Gardiner ordered that probation conditions include Manning attend counselling, plus comply with any directions from a probation officer to undergo psychiatric and psychological assessment.

Convictions were recorded.

Manning’s apology:

“I am uncertain if you’ll ever read this letter or accept my feelings that I’m seeking to express to you.

“Firstly, I want to express my deep regret for my decision to touch you without your consent.

“My behaviour was inexcusable and I struggle to put into words just how much I wish I could take back those moments, not just because “I’m being held accountable by the system.

“... You trusted me to be there for you and protect you when you were vulnerable and on these two occasions I failed.

“... I’ve accepted my responsibility for my actions and I’ve been working with my psychologist to ensure that I do not make these poor decisions of this nature ever again, and that I respect my friends more than I respected (you).

“I’ll be a better man, the man I failed to be.

“Although my words might be hollow, I sincerely apologise to you for the pain that I’ve caused you.

“The fact my actions have tarnished life-changing events for you is deeply distressing and I’m sincerely sorry.”

Originally published as Reilly Owen Manning faces Mackay court for rape, sexual assault of woman