Rape victim left ‘numb’

A NORTH Queensland man will spend at least three years behind bars for a series of rapes that left one of his victims “numb”.

Speaking in court, one of the women faced her attacker and told him his actions had a devastating impact on her life and relationships.

“I felt ignored … my words and my actions in that time weren’t heard or taken seriously,” she said.

“After many months, I made the decision to report (the) offence to police … now I feel like it was the worst moment of my life as I had to relive it to tell my story to the authorities.”

The Ingham-born man, who cannot be named to protect his victims, was sentenced in Townsville’s District Court on Tuesday to six counts of rape linked to two women who were known to him. A jury found the 21-year-old guilty after trial and he was convicted of five counts of rape linked to the first woman.

On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to a single rape on his second victim.

The court was told the man ignored both women’s pleas to stop during sexual encounters with him.

Crown Prosecutor Monique Sheppard said the man, who was 19 at the time of the offending, showed “no remorse” in taking the case to trial.

“She’s repeatedly told him to stop, that it hurt and that she didn’t want to do it,” Ms Sheppard said.

Ms Sheppard asked Judge John Coker to impose a sentence of eight years for the conduct against both women.

The man’s defence barrister, Mark Dixon, said eight years was “too high” and asked the court to consider his client’s youth and lack of criminal history in imposing a sentence between six and seven years, with release after serving less than half of the sentence.

Mr Dixon tendered a stack of character references for his client, which he said demonstrated the “significant” support the 21-year-old had.

“The references speak to a person who is capable of being very calm, very honest and is an individual who contributes to the community,” he said.

In sentencing, Judge Coker noted the “traumas” both women experienced through the court process.

Judge Coker said the man’s refusal or failure to consider the women’s lack of consent was “troubling”.

He was sentenced to seven years, with a parole eligibility date in September 2024. The 33 days he had spent behind bars were considered time served.