H63328476/3 (SN) [7]
1. The victim's age nine years old, significantly below the age of 16 years.
2. The significant age difference between the victim and the offender the offender was 41 years old at the time of this offence and as noted, the victim was nine years old.
3. The offence followed a predatory course of behaviour by the offender, where he volunteered to supervise the victim when his brother was elsewhere and his mother was working.
4. The offender approached the victim whilst he was in a vulnerable position, naked in the shower, in the offender's house.
5. The offence was planned to an extent, with the offender insisting that the victim take a shower.
6. The nature of the indecent assault was very serious - the offender placed his fingers between the victim's buttocks, leaving them there for the duration of a film. The offender had the victim sitting on his lap whilst this was occurring.
7. The assault was lengthy.
8. The victim was staying the night at the offender's house without his mother, meaning he had no parental figure to turn to after the assault.
9. The relationship between the victim and the offender and the position of authority the offender was in at the time of the offence. The offender was the principal of the school where the victim attended.
10. The offence is aggravated as it involved a significant breach of trust. The facts outline 'grooming ' behaviour by the offender to the victim prior to the commission of this offence. As noted in relation to TN above, the offender was ingratiating himself in the family in period of time before the offending commenced, knowing the family was vulnerable after the father had left the family home and ceased to have any involvement with the children The offender also had the victim refer to him as "Uncle Phil" or "Dad" when they would go on trips together, reflective of how the offender ingratiated himself with the victim and the significant breach of trust experienced as a result of the offence.
11. The offender made it clear to the victim he was not to discuss the conduct at his residence with anyone else, effectively silencing the victim.
12. The offence was part of a pattern of persistent and frequent sexual misconduct and offending against this victim.