When the season ended, the man continued his interactions with some of the team and the club, setting up development clinics and training programs for players. As a part of the extra training, he eventually took up personal one-on-one sessions with the young girl. During this time, the court heard the pair engaged in “progressive flirtatious texting”, and had even discussed the futility of a relationship between them, citing his age and the fact he had a family. At one point he and his wife offered to let the girl stay with them on occasions because she had a long commute to and from her school. The court heard on November 4 last year, the man first attempted to be sexual with the girl when she was at the man’s mother’s home in Riverton, which was empty at the time.

In following days, he took her back to his family home and she slept in his daughter’s bedroom. Loading Eventually the girl’s family became aware of their relationship and Sex Assault Squad detectives began an investigation into the affair. During this time, the man sent a text to his wife that said: “I’m sorry ... I tried to save someone’s life and I fell in love.” State prosecutor Brianna Rositano argued despite the fact the man insisted he had no prior knowledge of the young girl’s difficult home life at the time, he should receive an immediate prison term for taking advantage of her vulnerability for his own sexual gratification.

She said the state accepted the relationship was consensual, but weight needed to be given to the fact the man had been in a position of authority at the time of the offending and the fact witnesses had provided evidence indicating the man had a “reputation” around the volleyball club among male players. One witness said she had been “uncomfortable” watching the man around teenage girl players, and she had seen him treat players differently regardless of their ability. However Judge Stephen Scott said he would not give any weight to her evidence, as there had been clashes between her and the man in the past. He said regardless of the witness evidence, the man had clearly breached a position of trust. “The child may be overwhelmed by someone much older than her has developed a romantic interest in her,” he said.

“You were in a position of authority ... thereby a position of trust ... inevitably the victim was someone who looked up to you.” Judge Scott said the man had significant mitigating factors to be considered in his sentencing, including the fact his family business relied heavily on him to remain operational and he was close to completing a high-level tertiary course. He noted the man had no prior criminal history, had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and there was no evidence indicating the victim had experienced any “adverse effects” due to his offending. “In her child witness statement, I take the view she approached this relationship with some degree of maturity,” he said. “That was the view I held and I considered her interview to be balanced and well measured.