\u201cSit down for a second, just sit down for a second,\u201d Judge Haddrick said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, sit down for five minutes, starting now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a long time to continue engaging in a sexual act while you know the wrongness of that conduct.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not talking about sexual interaction that is seconds of complaint.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are talking about a sustained act that will do significant damage to this child over her forthcoming years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Gates said the crime was \u201csomething that arose in the spirit of the moment, with poor impulse control\u201d after the teen \u201crubbed her waist up against (his client), which I might take as something of an invitation\u201d.<\/p>\n
Judge Haddrick told him a 14-year-old cannot consent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat sexual conduct went on for more than a few seconds, it went on for a sustained period of time,\u201d Judge Haddrick told the man.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe live in an age where we have a very clear understanding now that we didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe damage just rattles on through the ages, and that\u2019s all because of your immature, immoral and frankly selfish conduct on this occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Queensland Courts told news.com.au Judge Haddrick\u2019s remarks \u201cwere delivered ex tempore\u201d, which means they were not prepared in advance.<\/p>\n
Andrew Carpenter, who proudly wears the title of \u201cthe most hated man in Australia by child sex offenders\u201d, is a partner at Websters Lawyers and an advocate for sex crime victims.<\/p>\n
He shared a video on social media over the weekend that received a huge response, including more than 700 comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an acting judge, Ryan Haddrick, of the Brisbane District Court,\u201d he said in the video. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat 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\u2019t drop in these five minutes?\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to news.com.au, Mr Carpenter said the moment was powerful for one reason in particular.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of those comments where it\u2019s going to sit with members of the community forever because they\u2019ll feel that courts will take this seriously when all we hear from media is when offenders get lenient sentences.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething like this really shows that the judge really took into consideration and immediately rejected the offender\u2019s submission.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a message sent by the court simply saying that if you think five minutes isn\u2019t a long time, let\u2019s sit down and see how uncomfortable five minutes can be. <\/p>\n
\u201cFive minutes for the victim-survivor would\u2019ve felt like an eternity. It showed to him, this is how much damage a person can do in five minutes.\u201d <\/p>\n
Actor and advocate Madeleine West also shared a video celebrating the judge\u2019s actions. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d she said in a Monday morning video.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s 35. The victim is 14. Judge Haddrick rightly pointed out that given the victim is 14 years old, the penny should\u2019ve dropped before the act actually occurred.<\/p>\n
\u201cFinally a judge here in Australia that is willing to call out this crime for what it is and what it looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n
In comments on the videos, hundreds shared praise for the former barrister turned judge who had a doctorate in contitutional law.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore judges like this. Protection of children at the forefront,\u201d one person wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are a legend, Judge Ryan Haddrick. You are a protector and a provide. You are a real man,\u201d another wrote.<\/p>\n
The offender was sentenced to 18 months\u2019 imprisonment, with six months in actual custody.<\/p>\n
He will be eligible for parole in January.<\/p>\n