Perth educator jailed in relation to assault of a three year old 

A Perth based early childhood educator has been sentenced to 15 months of jail time for the sexual assault of a three year old girl in his care, with the assault having taken place while the child was seated in a grassed area of the service, with other children and staff close by. 

Before continuing to engage with this piece readers should be aware it discusses the abuse and sexual assault of a three year old child, and should consider their own circumstances and wellbeing. 

The man could be eligible for parole halfway through the sentence, and expects he will be deported back to his native Nepal on his release from prison. He was 22 years of age at the time of the offence, and came to Australia on a student visa to complete an early learning qualification.

A victim impact statement from the girl’s mother detailed how the three-year-old told her mother of the offence, and at times didn’t want to go to the toilet because of discomfort from the incident, also suffering from anxiety and a loss of sleep. 

During sentencing, the court heard details of how the man originally defended himself against the charge, and how the girl and her family were traumatised during the cross-examination, during which it was suggested to her the offence did not happen.

The judge said the offence showed a “brazenness and audacity”, was a breach of his position of power and the trust the girl and her family had placed in him as a childcare worker (sic.), and was a “gross invasion of [the victim’s] bodily integrity”.

The man’s barrister argued that there was no element of persistence in the offence and that it took place quickly, also noting the educator’s positive work history, no criminal record prior to the offence, and that his partner had provided a good character reference.

As well as the prison sentence the judge also put in place a lifetime violence restraining order, preventing the man from attempting to communicate with the girl.

This story was also covered by The ABC. Find the original here.