Sex offender John Collier fronts court for assaulting girl on suspended child exploitation order

The horrific and gut-churning criminal history of a Lockyer Valley sex offender was revealed in court after he fronted court for having a “highly suspect and inappropriate” relationship with teens.

Registered child sex offender, John Wayne Nathan Collier leaving Toowoomba Court after being sentenced for touching a teen's bottom at Grand Central shopping centre. Picture: News Regional Media

The horrific and gut-churning criminal history of a Lockyer Valley sex offender was revealed in court after he fronted court for breaching a suspended sentence.

In 2021, John Wayne Nathan Collier was sentenced to a two year and nine month jail term for possessing and sharing the “worst kind” of child exploitation videos and images.

The Toowoomba District Court heard he had 4,705 category one images, 21,782 category two images, and many videos.
However, the court heard an expert deemed Collier wasn’t a pedophile, and his sexualisation of children was born out of curiosity relating to his traumatic experiences as a child.

The then 26-year-old was ordered to spend six months behind bars because of the severity of the child exploitation material, and the sophisticated methods he used to hide his online activity.

In December 2023, the court was told Collier had a mechanical engineering degree, was a qualified personal trainer, and received an OP 7 when he graduated from high school.

During the first months of 2023, Collier breached his community based order by assaulting a minor and other concerning behaviour regarding a 16-year-old girl, a 17-year-old girl, and a 17-year-old boy.

In December, the Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard he was quick to strike up a relationship with the trio, which involved inviting them to dine with him, buying them alcohol, having them sleep over at his home, and shopping trips for group massages.

During a sleepover, the court was told he said to the girls they were welcome to sleep with him in his bedroom.

On another occasion, he rubbed his hand over one of the girl’s buttocks.

Collier also did not disclose his contact with minors to the child protection offender registry.

On December 20, 2023, Collier pleaded guilty to assaulting a child, and four charges of failing to comply with the child protection offender registry, and was sentenced to a two year probation order.

In December 2023, the court was told Collier was an educated man with strong work prospects, noting he was in the process of buying a Harvey Norman store, but the franchise deal fell through when he was initially charged with child sex offences.

However, he returned to Toowoomba District Court on March 15, 2024, to deal with the suspended sentence breach.

Judge Benedict Power KC said the breach was serious and his behaviour was “highly suspect and inappropriate”, but noted it did not involve sex with a child.

He noted when dealt with before the Magistrates Court a term of imprisonment was not deemed necessary.

“If it were not for the case that you had engaged with probation, and undertaken focusing interventions including, what is quite a confronting test… which forces you to confront the sources of thoughts, ideations, and behaviours linked to childhood sexual abuse,” he said.

“Because you are engaged in that, I am prepared not to send you to jail but you must be aware if you breach probation… it would seem almost impossible that someone would not send you to jail.

“I very much hope that you do take this opportunity.”

Judge Power extended Collier’s two year suspended sentence by one year, and extended his good behaviour order by two years.

However, his $2000 recognisance was forfeited and ordered to be paid within three months.

The court heard Collier was the sole carer of his 91-year-old grandad who also relied on him for daily essentials.