Ex-staffer to Gladys Berejiklian AVOIDS jail for historic child sex abuse charges against both a young boy and girl – including a vile game of truth or dare and lying on top of naked victims
- Offender was sentenced to two-year community corrections order on Tuesday
- The former staffer pleaded guilty to six charges relating to child sex abuse
- Charges dated back to the mid 90s and related to the abuse of two children
- The offender cannot be identified as he was underage at the time
- The offending occurred long before the man worked for the NSW Premier
A former staffer for NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – avoided jail for historic child sex abuse
A former staffer for ex-NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has avoided jail over historic child sex abuse charges.
The offender, who is aged in his 40s and cannot be identified as he was underage at the time, pleaded guilty to six charges dating back to the mid 1990s including aggravated indecent assault.
He was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order after appearing at Sydney‘s Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday.
The offences relate to a boy and girl who were aged between eight and 12 at the time, while the offender was aged between 14 and 16.
The allegations were made in 2016 but the offender wasn’t arrested until 2020.
The abuse was carried out in the form of games such as tickling which progressed to touching the children’s genitals through their clothing, Judge John Pickering SC told the court.
Another game involved the offender lying on top of the children while they were naked.
One charge related to a game of truth and dare where the offender held an ice-cube to the boy’s private parts until it melted.
On another occasion the offender and the boy masturbated together, the court heard, while one charge involved the pair discussing having anal sex together.
Justice Pickering said no sexual intercourse occurred.
There is no suggestion any of the offences occurred while the staffer was working for Ms Berejiklian, or that she had any knowledge of the historic crime whatsoever, prior to him being charged
‘Some people may make a comment it was young people having sexual experimentation,’ he said in sentencing.
‘I do not see it that way, he wasn’t their friend, he wasn’t in their age group.’
Justice Pickering praised the victims for coming forward.
‘It should be noted the courage of victims to come forward and make people accountable decades later is an important aspect of deterrence of child sexual assault,’ he said.
‘All offenders should know there is no safe period of time, you can be prosecuted 10, 20, 30, 40 years later and receive appropriate punishment.’
The offender has since lived a life of good character, Justice Pickering said, adding he was a father and was married.
The man was not placed on the child sex offender register.
There is no suggestion any of the offences occurred while the staffer was working for Ms Berejiklian, or that she had any knowledge of the historic crime whatsoever, prior to him being charged.
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