A Brisbane judge has won fans around the country for making a courtroom — and a child sex offender — sit in silence for five minutes.
Judge Ryan Haddrick stopped proceedings in the Brisbane District Court on Thursday where a 35-year-old man had pleaded guilty to a sex act with a child.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, committed the depraved acts against the 14-year-old after the pair had eaten dinner and smoked cannabis, the court heard.
The man’s lawyer, Damien Gates, was making submissions about the seriousness of the offending and said that “the penile intercourse lasted five minutes, not more than that, as he desisted”.
That’s what Judge Haddrick sensationally halted proceedings in a powerful show of empathy that has since resonated around the country.
The Courier Mail reported on how the next moments unfolded.
“Sit down for a second, just sit down for a second,” Judge Haddrick said.
“In fact, sit down for five minutes, starting now,” he said.
“The proposition I am putting through to you and through to your client, is that in five minutes engaging in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old, the penny should have dropped before it occurred.
“That’s a long time to continue engaging in a sexual act while you know the wrongness of that conduct.
“We’re not talking about sexual interaction that is seconds of complaint.
“We are talking about a sustained act that will do significant damage to this child over her forthcoming years.”
Mr Gates said the crime was “something that arose in the spirit of the moment, with poor impulse control” after the teen “rubbed her waist up against (his client), which I might take as something of an invitation”.
Judge Haddrick told him a 14-year-old cannot consent.
“That sexual conduct went on for more than a few seconds, it went on for a sustained period of time,” Judge Haddrick told the man.
“We live in an age where we have a very clear understanding now that we didn’t in earlier times, of the pernicious nature of this sort of sexual offending that can stay in the mind and stay in the life story of a victim for years if not decades to come.
“It robs that child of their innocence, but also many things that they should be able to take for granted, like trust in men, and an understanding of what is sexually appropriate and not appropriate.
“The damage just rattles on through the ages, and that’s all because of your immature, immoral and frankly selfish conduct on this occasion.”
A spokesperson for Queensland Courts told news.com.au Judge Haddrick’s remarks “were delivered ex tempore”, which means they were not prepared in advance.
Andrew Carpenter, who proudly wears the title of “the most hated man in Australia by child sex offenders”, is a partner at Websters Lawyers and an advocate for sex crime victims.
He shared a video on social media over the weekend that received a huge response, including more than 700 comments.
“This is an acting judge, Ryan Haddrick, of the Brisbane District Court,” he said in the video.
“This video is basically what an absolute legend he is. In court this week, there were submissions made that a 35-year-old man who sexually abused a 14-year-old girl, only thought what he was doing was wrong after engaging in five minutes of sexual intercourse.
“What did Judge Haddrick do? He told the court to sit in silence for five minutes. He basically used that to show the offender this is how long five minutes is and the penny didn’t drop in these five minutes?”
Speaking to news.com.au, Mr Carpenter said the moment was powerful for one reason in particular.
“It’s not the first time a judge has made a scathing comment against someone, but I think he took a step to really show the gravity of the offending,” he said.
“It’s one of those comments where it’s going to sit with members of the community forever because they’ll feel that courts will take this seriously when all we hear from media is when offenders get lenient sentences.
“Something like this really shows that the judge really took into consideration and immediately rejected the offender’s submission.
“This was a message sent by the court simply saying that if you think five minutes isn’t a long time, let’s sit down and see how uncomfortable five minutes can be.
“Five minutes for the victim-survivor would’ve felt like an eternity. It showed to him, this is how much damage a person can do in five minutes.”
Actor and advocate Madeleine West also shared a video celebrating the judge’s actions.
“The sitting judge, one Ryan Haddrick, who I think deserves a medal or a round of applause or an Order of Australia even, made his courtroom sit in silence for five minutes just to demonstrate how long five minutes actually lasts, how long five minutes actually feels,” she said in a Monday morning video.
“He’s 35. The victim is 14. Judge Haddrick rightly pointed out that given the victim is 14 years old, the penny should’ve dropped before the act actually occurred.
“Finally a judge here in Australia that is willing to call out this crime for what it is and what it looks like.”
In comments on the videos, hundreds shared praise for the former barrister turned judge who had a doctorate in contitutional law.
“More judges like this. Protection of children at the forefront,” one person wrote.
“You are a legend, Judge Ryan Haddrick. You are a protector and a provide. You are a real man,” another wrote.
The offender was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, with six months in actual custody.
He will be eligible for parole in January.
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