Christopher Emile Chatto, 50, sentenced on child sex, domestic violence, and drug charges

A Cairns man lured a 15-year-old into the back room of a pool store he worked at with the promise of cigarettes before indecently assaulting her, a court has heard.

Cairns Courthouse

A Cairns man lured a 15-year-old into the back room of a pool store he worked at with the promise of cigarettes before indecently assaulting her, a court has heard.

Christopher Emile Chatto, 50, pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent treatment of a child under 16, as well as one count of domestic violence strangulation on a separate indictment.

Chatto was also sentenced for supply and possession of a dangerous drug after he attempted to pass off a small quantity of meth to another person when he was arrested for failing to surrender.

Crown prosecutor Hannah McNeale told the court Chatto was working at a pool supply store in the south of Cairns in December 2023 when he lured a girl into the back room with the promise of giving her cigarettes before grabbing her by the hips.

Ms McNeale told the court Chatto told police it was his habit to invite “street kids” to offer them cigarettes.

It was on a second occurrence with the same girl that the indecent assault occurred.

“The defendant again invited the same girl into the backroom, he gave her cigarettes and he patted her upper thigh,” she said.

“The girl called a friend and then said she had to leave, the defendant then hugged her and patted her on the buttocks.

Cairns Courthouse

“He tried to squeeze her buttocks but she moved away.”

Ms McNeale said the offending was all caught clearly on CCTV camera.

While on bail for the indecent treatment offence, Chatto committed the domestic violence offences against his partner.

During an argument Chatto verbally abused the complainant, who then struck him on the back of the head.

“He then used two hands to squeeze her by the neck lifting her from the floor to pin her to a fridge,” the prosecutor said.

“During the course of this she lost consciousness.

“He also threatened to kill her.”

Ms McNeale said Chatto’s criminal history contained similar incidents she described as “indicators of domestic violence suicide” where he threatened to slit a partner’s throat.

Defence counsel James Sheridan told the court Chatto was born in Papua New Guinea to an Australian father where he served in the Army before moving to Australia.

Judge Joshua Trevino KC described Chatto’s behaviour towards the young girl “particularly predatory”.

“If it was not for the girl’s wherewithal to call a friend your offending may have been even worse.”

Judge Trevino said that the strangulation could have also been much worse.

“Your actions could have resulted in her death,” he told Chatto.

Chatto was sentenced to six months imprisonment for the indecent treatment charge and two and half years for the strangulation to be served cumulatively.

He will be eligible for parole in April next year with time already served in custody.

Originally published as Christopher Emile Chatto, 50, sentenced on child sex, domestic violence, and drug charges