A man who indecently assaulted a 15-year-old girl on a camping trip has been given a community corrections order instead of a prison sentence.
The man, whose name has been anonymised, was sentenced by Supreme Court Justice Robert Pearce on Wednesday after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault.
The court heard the man was 21 when he touched the girl under her clothing and touched her breasts while they shared a swag at Bridport in January 2020.
Justice Pearce said the girl had been asleep and, when she woke, “didn’t know what to do”.
The court heard she got out of the swag, called a friend and asked to be driven home, where she told her mother and the man’s father.
“The complainant did not consent to you touching her as you did,” Justice Pearce said.
He said that because of her age, she “could not have given lawful consent”.
Justice Pearce said he was satisfied the man was “immediately sorry”.
He said the pair later started a three-year relationship, with no further sexual contact until she was old enough to lawfully consent.
The court heard she reported the matter to police in October 2025, after the relationship ended.
Justice Pearce said the offending “resulted from misjudgement arising from immaturity” and there was “no element of predatory, forceful or coercive behaviour”.
He said the chance of further sexual offending was “remote” and declined to make a reporting order.
He said a conviction was “a necessary signal to others, particularly other young men, of the likely consequences of non-consensual touching”.
The man was ordered to complete 49 hours of community service as part of a 12-month order.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
