Sex offender avoids jail

A MAN has avoided jail after sexually assaulting a female friend after a night out on the Surf Coast.

On May 7, 2016, Liam Plucke returned to the woman’s home after they had been drinking with mutual friends at the Torquay Hotel.

The then 24-year-old ended up in the woman’s bed, where he inappropriately touched her breasts and vagina.

The Geelong County Court heard on Friday there were differing versions on whether Plucke was invited to the bed, but it was accepted he had touched the woman without her consent.

Plucke initially pleaded guilty to the sexual assault in May, before a jury acquitted him of a separate charge of rape stemming from the incident.

Judge Gerard Mullaly said the woman previously had a “zest for life and much potential”, which had drastically changed since the assault.

A victim impact statement read to the court revealed how the incident had impacted the woman.

“Without any doubt, my quality of life has significantly worsened compared to my life before the trauma,” she said.

“Immediately after, I became socially withdrawn (and) depressed. I lost all enjoyment for life.”

Judge Mullaly said there were several concerning as- pects to Plucke’s offending.

“It occurred in the sanctity of the victim’s home and bed, where she was entitled to feel safe,” he said.

“You were a trusted friend and you abused that trust.”

Judge Mullaly said any sexual assault was degrading and was likely to leave ongoing psychological damage to the victim.

“It is always serious criminality,” he said.

But he chose not to jail Plucke, citing the man’s otherwise good character and “excellent” prospects for rehabilitation. Judge Mullaly placed Plucke on a two-year corrections order — with conviction — requiring him to complete 150 hours of unpaid community work.