TASMANIA v AARON JOHN DICKENSON 3 NOVEMBER 2009
COMMENTS ON PASSING SENTENCE CRAWFORD CJ
Aaron John Dickenson pleaded guilty to sexual intercourse with a young person under the age of 17 years and indecent assault. They were committed on 14 April 2008.
At that time he was 24. The crimes were committed against a 16-year-old girl.
The factual basis for sentencing includes that there had been some flirtatious text messages sent between them. On the day of the offences the girl went to his home and there was a brief sexual encounter during which she took his penis into her mouth for possibly 10 seconds and he rubbed his penis against her vagina or buttocks. He brought it to an end by saying that he thought that somebody was passing outside the window. The girl did not report the matter for a time. About two months after the incident he made full admissions to the police. He accepted that he had done wrong by having sex with an underage girl.
The purpose of the law is to protect young people from themselves and their immaturity. It is apparent from the girl's victim impact statement that she has been confused about the experience and feels that she was used. Such feelings are understandable.
He has no relevant record. Having regard to the fact that the incident was a short one, that he brought it to an end, the difference between their ages was not as considerable as in many cases and what they did would not have been a crime if the girl had been 11 months older, imprisonment is not an appropriate punishment. Community service is.
Aaron John Dickenson, convictions are recorded. It is ordered that you pay $100 by way of victims of crime compensation levies within 28 days. A community service order is also made requiring you to perform 70 hours of community service. A document will be provided to you containing the conditions of the order. It includes a condition that by tomorrow you must report to the office of the Department of Community Corrections at 111 Cameron Street, Launceston so that arrangements for your performance of the service can be put in place. No order is made under the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act because I do not regard your case as giving rise to a concern that you pose a risk of similarly offending again.