Client avoids jail for child sex charges – Penrith District Court

Our client was charged with grooming and indecent assault of a minor. He was a relatively naïve young man who had agreed to meet a reasonably mature 15-year old after chatting online. The pair engaged in sexual activities in a car and were interrupted by suspicious police officers. Our client unwisely admitted to the offences, and ended up getting charged with offences which carried maximum terms of imprisonment for 10-12 years. We appeared for our client in the Penrith Local Court, where he was sentenced to 18 months prison with 6 months non-parole period. We immediately appealed the severity of the sentence, and obtained bail so that our client did not have to enter custody. We briefed a barrister to appear at Penrith District Court on appeal, and successfully had the sentence reduced to 6 months, fully suspended, so our client did not spend one day in jail for these traditionally serious offences.