A 19-year-old Wollongong man has pleaded guilty to raping two teenage girls, committing the assaults while they were asleep. The man, whose identity is withheld to protect the victims, faces sentencing in May.
Details of the Offences
The victims were aged 13 and 15 at the time of the incidents. Court documents reveal that the younger girl had spent considerable time with the offender and trusted him. However, on one occasion, she awoke to find him pulling down her pants and attempting to rape her. He touched her genitals and digitally penetrated her. The girl shouted, "What are you doing, get out," and kicked him, causing him to fall into a wall. He left but returned and tried to touch her again until she ordered him to leave.
The victim reported the assault to the man's girlfriend the next morning. About a week later, the man claimed that some boys had assaulted him because they had heard he was a "paedophile." That same day, the victim punched him in the face and told him never to touch her again. He apologised and cried.
Within months, the victim again woke to find the man sexually offending against her, this time masturbating with his penis near her mouth.
A few months later, the second victim, aged 15, woke to find the man digitally raping her while she slept. Frightened and shaken, she confided in the offender's girlfriend the next morning, leading to their breakup.
The first victim later told the man he needed to "stop touching" girls because they should not feel unsafe because of him.
Police Investigation and Guilty Plea
Police received a report of a possible sexual assault and spoke to both victims. Two weeks later, the offender sent a message to the second victim, apologising for "what's happened to you not only you but to [the other victim too]." He wrote, "... I really do just wanna say it was really f---ed up for what happened ... So it's clear I apologise ok."
The following month, police arrested the man. In April, he pleaded guilty at Wollongong Local Court to two counts of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent and was committed for sentencing in the District Court. The sentencing judge will also consider offences of sexually touching a child aged 10 to 16 and performing a sexual act with a child aged 10 to 16.
The man is scheduled to return to court in May.
Support is available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14; 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732; Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. If someone is in immediate danger, call 000.
