The Queen v SB (2017)
SB was charged with six counts of aggravated indecent assault and six counts of aggravated sexual assault. After negotiations between our office and the ODPP prosecution, SB’s charges were revised and he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse with a child aged 10-14.
In this case SB was a teacher who began a sexual relationship with a student in his class, who was at the time aged thirteen. The relationship consisted of phone calls and texts between SB and the victim, who then began to visit SB at his house on weekends and after hours, where a sexual relationship began. The victim informed her friends of the relationship at school, and subsequently SB resigned from his job, was excluded from teaching and moved away from the area. Although he was interviewed by police at this time no charges were laid until over a decade later.
This case involved a substantial time delay between initial contact made by the police, and charges being laid. Charges were not laid until 2016, however they related to acts committed in 2004. At the time of trial in 2016, the victim elected not to complete a victim impact statement. These factors were considered by the presiding judge when sentencing SB.
SB received a sentence of two years, with a non-parole period of one year. Each count carried a maximum prison sentence of twenty years, so this was a very good result. The various factors noted above contributed to such a reasonable sentence, as well as SB pleading guilty at the earliest possible opportunity and remaining compliant and remorseful throughout the course of his trial.