An indigenous man has been spared jail and a conviction for sexually assaulting a woman in broad daylight, with a Queensland magistrate describing his behaviour as “foolish”.
Torres Strait Islander Joshua John Salee, 19, pleaded guilty in Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday to a single charge of sexual assault over the February 1 incident, which he blamed on “mad lust”.
Salee’s victim was lying on a picnic rug on her stomach while wearing swimwear and reading a book at the Riverway Complex on February 1 when he carried out the attack, the court heard.
Police prosecutor Tasman Murphy told the court Salee placed his hand or fingers onto the “centre of the woman’s pubic region”, and described the assault as especially “alarming” because it happened in a busy public place in broad daylight, the Townsville Bulletin reported.
The court heard the woman immediately reported the incident to police, and that when questioned by officers Salee said “it was mad, mad, really mad lust, just mad lust bro”.
“The community did not expect nor accept this type of behaviour, despite the defendant’s ‘mad, mad lust’,” Mr Murphy said, but asked the magistrate to impose a 12-month probation period due to Salee’s young age and lack of criminal history, saying it would help him rehabilitate.
Salee’s defence lawyer also argued for probation, telling the magistrate her client had no explanations for his behaviour and “the rehabilitation of Mr Salee should certainly be top of mind for your Honour this morning”.
Magistrate Steven Mosch said Salee needed to control his urges, and gave him a 12-month probation order with no conviction recorded.
“You are, of course, still a young man, aged 19, and your youth might go some way towards explaining this foolish conduct on your part,” he said.
Header image: Left, Joshua John Salee (Facebook). Right, the Riverway Complex (Townsville North Queensland).
