
The crimes of a Glenelg Shire sex offender were uncovered after he was located by police trespassing at a residential property with a 14-year-old girl.
The 20-year-old man, who can not be named because that could identify the victim, pleaded guilty in the County Court of Victoria on Monday to charges, including sexual penetration of a child under 16, possession of child abuse material and the persistent breach of a family violence intervention order.
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The court heard that on January 28 this year, police attended a house shortly after 3am and located the offender, then aged 19, and the 14-year-old victim in bed together.
They were arrested, interviewed, charged with trespassing, and the incident was referred to the south-west Sexual Offences and Child-abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT).
The court heard the man and the victim started talking on social media application Snapchat some months earlier and that the offender was aware of her age.
They soon began engaging in sexual acts.
The court heard the man initially denied the offending but later rang SOCIT and said that he wanted "to set the record straight".
He admitted to the offending and an intervention order was issued in order to protect the child victim.
But the court heard the man repeatedly breached that order by messaging the victim, visiting her and on one occasion engaging in sex.
A search of his mobile phone later uncovered sexually explicit videos of the victim.
A lawyer told the court that the offending occurred in the context of a "boyfriend-girlfriend-type relationship" which, despite knowing it was wrong, the offender continued due to a mutual connection and the man's immaturity and poor consequential thinking.
She said the offending was not predatory and there was no coercion, manipulation or breach of trust.
She said there was no evidence of harm suffered by the victim but agreed the presumption of harm applied.
The court heard the man faced life on the sex offender register.
He will be sentenced on December 10.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.
In an emergency, call 000.
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