A Victorian sex offender who ate a Snickers bar laced with poison in court after being found guilty has been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment.
The 76-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of sexually abusing a young girl after the death of her father more than 30 years ago in regional Victoria.
In the county court in Melbourne on Friday, judge Anne Hassan sentenced the man to at least six years in jail before he can apply for parole.
In June, the man was found guilty of two counts of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 and two counts of committing indecent acts with a child under the age of 16.
During that hearing, the man had eaten a poison-laced Snickers bar that he had brought into the courtroom, and then collapsed. He was then was taken to hospital, and the incident caused a finger injury and a dislocated shoulder.
On Friday Hassan told the court the man’s physical injuries from the incident had been resolved.
Hassan highlighted the victim’s impact statement, saying it pointed to the “profound” impacts of the child sexual abuse.
“The seriousness of your offending cannot be overstated,” she said.
“The courts now well recognise the enduring harm childhood sexual abuse causes and that is constitutes an egregious breach of the moral standards of the community.”
Hassan said the victim was an “utterly defenceless child” when the man began preying on her. The victim was four years old when the man, aged 33, first began abusing her.
“You were a father figure to her and you should have protected her and supported her through her childhood,” she said.
The man will be registered as a sex offender for life.
The court heard that a psychological review of the man after the June incident found he did not suffer from any mental illness.
The man had told a psychologist he was in disbelief and fear when he was convicted, the court heard.
But the man’s legal team argued it was likely a pre-planned self-harm attempt consistent with suicidal ideation at the time of the verdict. Hassan said she accepted this.
Hassan said she considered the man’s age in her sentencing, noting a sentence of imprisonment could “involve the last years of your life.”
She said the man had a history of being a “person of good character.” Hassan accepted that the man had a low-risk of reoffending and had demonstrated rehabilitation.
• In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helplines International
• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
