It took two days for a man released from jail to reoffend in the Bendigo CBD - in what his lawyer called an "abhorrent" and "morally repugnant" crime.
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The County Court sitting in Bendigo heard sex offender Ryan Swann, 45, took a child onto a private property and then into a laneway in the CBD in January 2022 where his crime took place.
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Swann has pleaded guilty to one charge for the sexual penetration of a child and to a summary charge of resisting an emergency worker on duty.
The court heard the child had texted another adult just before the crimes saying "his (sic) a pedo" and "I really need to get away from him".
Man exposed himself to police after sex crime against child
The court heard, when approached by police shortly after, Swann exposed himself by pulling his trousers and underwear down before attempts were made to arrest him.
The court heard Swann thrashed his arms around and tried to escape police before he was pepper sprayed.
Swann was homeless and unemployed at the time of his offending.
He told the court he was a musician but his lawyer suggested this could be tied to some delusional thoughts.
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The court heard Swann knew the child's age as she had told him before saying he would "get in a lot of trouble" if anything happened.
Swann did not know his victim before that date.
Swann has not committed any sexual crimes previously although the court heard he had been before the courts 45 times.
Swann to be on sex offenders' register for 15 years
Swann's defence lawyer Mr Morgan said his client has a diagnosis of schizophrenia and after his arrest he had been "yelling at an imaginary person" and threatening to stab them.
The court heard he had also used methylamphetamine on the day of his crimes and had also struggled with cannabis addition.
The prosecution said there was no causal link between Swann's diagnosis and his criminal activity.
He will return for further plea and sentence in October when psychiatric documents will be supplied to the court.
As of September 4, he had spent 591 days in custody.
He will be a registered sex offender for 15 years.
If you or someone you know needs support, contact:
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- 1800 RESPECT, 1800 737 732
- Talk it Out, 1300 022 946, talkitoutmurray.org.au
- BeyondBlue on 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au
- Headspace Bendigo, 5406 1400, headspace.org.au/
- If life is in danger call Triple Zero (000).
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Lucy Williams
Journalist with an interest in telling regional and rural stories, and covering the diverse array of topics that matter to the people of Bendigo.
Journalist with an interest in telling regional and rural stories, and covering the diverse array of topics that matter to the people of Bendigo.
