Ex-teacher jailed for sexually assaulting girl at NSW primary school and on excursion
Warning: Disturbing content
A former teacher who sexually assaulted a primary school pupil who was “isolated” from his parents on a school trip and separately attacked another five-year-old girl will spend at least a decade behind bars.
Rickie William Eggleton was found guilty by a jury of a series of charges relating to the attack on two unidentified teenage girls.
One of the girls showed him inappropriate material on his laptop when he was in primary school, including a girl wrapping her mouth around his penis and telling the boy “we can do this”.
He also attacked her during a school trip.
Prosecutors argued this was a more serious crime, given that he was isolated away from his parents.
But the defense rejected this because he was equally isolated from his family at the time of the crime at school.
The court was told some of Eggleton’s crimes were committed when the girl was 9 years old.
Judge Leonie Flannery SC told the NSW District Court on Friday that the woman had spoken of the lasting effects of the abuse in her victim impact statement.
“He describes powerfully what was taken from him as a result of sustained abuse and the profound impact this has had and continues to have,” Judge Flannery said.
Eggleton also attacked another girl when she was five or six years old.
He was found guilty of one count of possession of child abuse material, two counts of indecent assault on a person under 16, three counts of sexual intercourse with a person under 10, grooming a child under 14 for unlawful sexual activity, one count of indecent assault on a person under 16, two counts of committing an indecent act with a victim under 10, two counts of indecent assault on a person under 16. age, and sexual intercourse under authority with a person under 10 years of age.
He was also found not guilty of an additional charge of sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 10.
Judge Flannery said during sentencing at Darlinghurst Court on Friday that “all of the offenses involved breach of trust”.
During the hearings, Eggleton sat in the dock with a large, long beard and wearing what looked like a hospital gown.
He was sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison with a non-parole period of 10 years.
Eggleton will be eligible for parole in June 2030.
Judge Flannery acknowledged during sentencing on Friday that Eggleton has autism spectrum disorder, which somewhat reduced his moral culpability.
He acknowledged that he was subjected to numerous attacks by other inmates and corrections officers during his time in custody, and that he also struggled with mental health issues, including self-harm, behind bars.
The court was told Eggleton’s future in custody was likely to be “difficult” due to his mental health issues.
His legal team had previously told the court Eggleton maintains his innocence and an appeal has been lodged.
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