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Sentencing Snapshots on Sex Offences Released

The Sentencing Advisory Council released four Sentencing Snapshots on indecent assault, indecent act with a child under 16, maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16 and rape.

The reports contain statistics on sentencing outcomes for people sentenced for these offences in the higher courts of Victoria between 2001-02 and 2005-06. The reports form part of a statistical series known as Sentencing Snapshots that presents summary statistics on sentencing in Victoria. Earlier reports in the series analyse sentencing trends for homicide, rape, robbery, armed robbery, burglary, aggravated burglary, injury offences and theft offences.

The reports contain previously unpublished statistics on sentence outcomes in the higher courts of Victoria between 2001-02 and 2005-06, as well as the age and gender of people sentenced for each of the four offences. The Sentencing Snapshot for rape is an update of a Sentencing Snapshot released in December 2005, which analysed sentencing data up to 2003-04.

This batch of snapshots also incorporates a new section that examines the range of offences finalised at the same sentencing hearing.

Sentencing trends for indecent assault in the higher courts of Victoria

Of all people sentenced for the principal offence of indecent assault, 19% (or 155 people) were sentenced in the higher courts over the five year period. The report finds that around one third of those sentenced for the principal offence of indecent assault received a wholly suspended sentence of imprisonment. The most common wholly suspended sentence length was one year. The next most common sentence types imposed were imprisonment (31%) and partially suspended sentences of imprisonment (12%). The most common term of imprisonment was two years with a non-parole period of one year, and the longest imprisonment sentence imposed was thirteen years and six months with a non-parole period of nine years.

Each of the 155 people was sentenced for an average of 5.19 offences, including for 3.87 offences of indecent assault. The most common offence finalised in conjunction with indecent assault was gross indecency with a child (9.7% of all cases).

Sentencing trends for indecent act with a child under 16 in the higher courts of Victoria

Of all people sentenced for the principal offence of indecent act with a child under 16, 19% (or 122 people) were sentenced in the higher courts over the five year period. The report finds that 39% of the 122 people received a sentence of imprisonment. The most common term of imprisonment was two years with a non-parole period of one year, and the longest imprisonment sentence imposed was ten years with a non-parole period of nine years. The next most common sentence types imposed were wholly suspended sentences (30%), followed by partially suspended sentences (11%).

Each of the 122 people was sentenced for an average of 4.43 offences, including for 3.40 offences of indecent act with a child under 16. The most common offence finalised in conjunction with indecent act with a child under 16 was sexual penetration of a child aged under 16 (6.6% of all cases).

Sentencing trends for maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16 in the higher courts of Victoria

All of the 29 people sentenced for the principal offence of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16 were sentenced in the higher courts over the five year period. The report finds that around 76% of the 29 people received a sentence of imprisonment, while 10% received a wholly suspended sentence of imprisonment. Imprisonment lengths ranged from two years with a non-parole period of one year to fourteen years with a non-parole period of ten years.

Each of the 29 people was sentenced for an average of 3.86 offences, including for 1.48 offences of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16. The most common offence finalised in conjunction with maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 16 was indecent act with a child under 16 (31.0% of all cases).

Sentencing trends for rape in the higher courts of Victoria

All of the 181 people sentenced for the principal offence of rape were sentenced in the higher courts over the five year period. The report finds that over three quarters (77%) of the 181 people received a sentence of imprisonment. Imprisonment lengths ranged from one year and three months with a non-parole period of six months to twenty-six years with a non-parole period of twenty years. The most common sentence of imprisonment was five years with a three year non-parole period. The next most common sentence types imposed were wholly suspended sentences of imprisonment (8%) and partially suspended sentences of imprisonment (6%).

Each of the 181 people was sentenced for an average of 5.15 offences, including for 2.23 offences of rape. The most common offence finalised in conjunction with rape was indecent assault (33.1% of all cases).