Clancy Thompson pleads guilty procuring young person for penile intercourse

A Moreton Bay tradie has faced court after he arranged to pay a teenage girl for sex in a grubby deal on the Sunshine Coast, to find out she was actually just 13-years-old.

Clancy Ryan Thompson faced Maroochydore District Court on Thursday. Picture: Sam Turner

A Mount Delaney carpenter will serve no jail time after he arranged to pay a teenage girl for sex on the Sunshine Coast, only to find out she was 13-years-old.

Clancy Ryan Thompson started chatting to the underage girl on Snapchat in late 2022 after she was searching for someone to buy her a vape.

Maroochydore District Court heard the child told Thompson she was 17-years-old, adding four years to her actual age.

The chippy in reply told the child he was 21-years-old, when in reality he was 27-years-old.

Crown prosecutor Alex Stark said the pair continued to chat when Thompson started to add a sexual undertone to their conversations, which he said the child was aware of.

The court heard their chat evolved into “money for DTF”. The girl asked Thompson how much money he would give her, with his reply making it clear it was money in exchange for sex.

Thompson leaving court after his sentence.

The pair arranged to meet before they went to a location at Sippy Downs on December 29, 2022.

The court heard Thompson briefly had sex with the 13-year-old girl however they were both found by police a short time later.

Mr Stark accepted in Thompson’s mind, he was messaging and organised to pay a 17-year-old girl for sex and did not know she was 13-years-old.

Defence barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown said under the legislation no one can pay a 17-year-old girl for prostitution in Queensland, even though the age of consent is 16-years-old.

Mr Ygoa-McKeown conceded the now 28-year-old led the sexually charged discussion but only due to the fact he thought the girl was over the age of consent.

Thompson’s barrister said if the carpenter knew it was a crime to pay a 17-year-old girl for sex, or that she was 13-years-old, he would not have participated in the grubby sexual deal.

He said the Mount Delaney man wasn’t showing predatory behaviour but rather proceeded because he thought she was 17-years-old partnered with some issues of impulsivity.

He pleaded guilty in court.

The court was told the 28-year-old was a qualified tradie and former carpentry business owner, with two children from a previous relationship.

Judge Glen Cash said the girl was a “disadvantaged and vulnerable” child who said she felt “concerned and apprehensive” prior to them having sex but did not say this to him.

He stated if she did tell Thompson, he knows the 28-year-old would not have gone ahead with the offending.

The District Court Judge said Thompson showed considerable insight into his actions in the “unusual” case, and it appeared he would not repeat his actions.

Judge Cash said he however was not sentencing the Mount Delaney man in relation to any accusation of sexual abuse of a child, but rather for engaging with someone he thought was a 17-year-old girl in prostitution.

Thompson pleaded guilty to procuring a young person for penile intercourse and was sentenced to two years’ probation.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Clancy Thompson pleads guilty procuring young person for penile intercourse