Nathan John Dodd sentenced in Rockhampton Magistrates Court

A man has been ordered to serve more time behind bars for yet another sexual offence which caused his victim to take stress leave from work.

Rockhampton Court House.

A man with a criminal history littered with sexual offences has been jailed after committing yet another lewd act, not long after being released from jail.

The court heard Nathan John Dodd, 38, was at a community health centre on March 7 where he was getting a blood sample taken.

While the nurse had her back turned, Dodd began masturbating while looking at her.

Dodd also failed to comply with his reporting duties as a sexual offender by not reporting his release from prison to the relevant authorities.

He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Friday (June 2) to one count of failing to comply with reporting duties and indecent act in any place with intent to cause offence or assault.

Police prosecutor Sergeant David Longhurst told the court Dodd had served multiple terms of imprisonment for like offending.

Sgt Longhurst said Dodd had previously committed a similar offence in 2022 where he was seen masturbating in public.

He submitted to the court a prison sentence of between 15 and 18 months to as an appropriate sentence to act as a personal deterrent for Dodd.

“It (the offence) is on someone in their workplace, Mr Dodd’s actions are starting to creep up...the continuous nature of them we are starting to look towards the more serious end, up to the maximum (sentence) for this offending,” he said.

Dodd’s lawyer Brendan Gimbert told the court his client was intoxicated at the time he committed the offence which was a “prevalent feature” in his history.

Mr Gimbert said Dodd had only been released from custody about a week before the offence occurred.

Magistrate Grace Kahlert took into account Dodd’s plea of guilty when considering her sentence.

Ms Kahlert also took into account Dodd’s criminal history which had a number of similar offences and the impact his acts had on the victim.

“The indecent act is very concerning, it would have been a terrifying experience for somebody who works in a very important part of our community as a nurse in a community health centre,” she said.

“She had to go off work on stress leave for one week, so that has a terrible consequence for other people who want to use that health service and the effect on that poor woman as well is very concerning to the court.”

Dodd was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment with 77 days of presentence custody declared as time already served.

He will be released on parole on August 17 this year.

Originally published as Nathan John Dodd sentenced in Rockhampton Magistrates Court