Kye Scott: Geraldton man spared jail again over indecently touching a teenage girl, placed on 12-month order

A Geraldton man who pleaded guilty to indecently touching a teenage girl he met over Snapchat, while on bail for rape, has been spared jail again.

Kye Zachary Scott appeared in Geraldton District Court on Wednesday for sentencing on one charge of having indecent dealings with a child under the age of 16.

The offence was committed while Scott was on bail for charges related to the sexual abuse of another victim between December 12 and 20, 2020.

He was set to be sentenced last month over the 2020 offences but was instead placed on a nine-month pre-sentence order and is due to be sentenced in August next year.

For those matters, Scott pleaded guilty to three rape charges and impeding another person’s normal breathing or blood circulation by applying pressure to the neck. The victim in that case was a girl he had struck up a relationship with over Snapchat.

In the second case, the court was told Scott picked up the 14-year-old girl, who met on Snapchat, after school at Glenfield IGA on July 23, 2021 before driving her to a nearby bush track.

Once there, the victim told the then 19-year-old she was 14 to which he replied “it’s OK as long as you’re OK with it”.

Scott sat the girl on top of him and began kissing her before putting his hands down her underwear and committing the indecent act. The victim told Scott to stop and he dropped her back at the shops.

Lawyer Clint Hampson said Scott was appropriately engaging with his pre-sentence order, had developed a good rapport with his case manager and obtained employment with a local business.

State prosecutor Danya Borkowski highlighted the “profound effect” the offending, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years jail, had on the victim.

District Court Judge Michael Bowden said the fact Scott was already charged with similar offences should have been a wake-up call.

“It seems you live in a different world,” Judge Bowden said.

Despite this he said a period of imprisonment hadn’t been reached citing Scott’s 26 days in custody, his early plea of guilty and the lack of aggravating features.

Judge Bowden instead placed Scott on a 12-month intensive supervision order and ordered a lifetime restraining order for the victim.