A Sydney greyhound trainer has been spared jail despite being convicted of 11 child sex offences committed against a 15-year-old girl.
Justin Michael King, 52, was given a three-year community corrections order and 500 hours of community service in the NSW District Court last week after Judge Philip Ingram said in sentencing he was confident King was unlikely to reoffend.
A jury in August found King guilty of seven counts of having sexual intercourse with a child aged 14-15, two counts of intentionally inciting a child aged 10-15 to engage in sexual touching, and two counts of intentionally sexually touching a child aged 10-15, news.com.au reported.
The prosecution argued for a custodial sentence, but Judge Ingram found King had “very good prospects of rehabilitation”, no relevant criminal history, and was a carer for his stepdad, and noted that the victim was “within two months of turning 16 on all accounts”.
“The court is satisfied the offender is most unlikely to reoffend in the future,” Judge Ingram said.
The court heard King committed the sex offences against the girl, who is also in the greyhound industry, inside his van three years ago.
After the girl turned 16, putting her over the age of consent, King asked her about her birthday and they had two more sexual encounters before the girl reported him to police, the court heard.
King told the court he thought his victim was 17 or 18 because she “vaped and smoked” and “came across as mature”, but the now-18-year-old gave evidence that she told him she was 15 during a conversation at a Sydney racecourse where they were discussing someone being caught messaging a 14-year-old girl.
She told the court they then agreed not to be seen with each other.
But the judge said he believed the victim had a “motive to embellish” after finding out King was in a relationship, and rejected her testimony.
King, who was stood down by the Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission after being charged in 2024, shook hands with his lawyers after walking free from court on Friday.
Header image: Justin Michael King (The Greyhound Recorder).
The post No jail for greyhound trainer, 52, who committed 11 sex offences against girl, 15 first appeared on The Noticer.
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