Awarded senior jailed for ‘appalling’ child abuse
Emily Woods |
An Indigenous elder and former Victorian Senior of the Year award-winner has been thrown behind bars for “appalling” offences against a child he had mentored as a football umpire.
Robert Eccles, 72, was found guilty by a jury in April of four child abuse charges, including committing an indecent act on a child aged under 16 and sexual penetration of a 16- or 17-year-old child under his care.
He was acquitted by the jury of another four charges of sexual penetration and one of committing an indecent act with a child.
Eccles was aged 59 and working as a senior umpire in Warrnambool when he started giving full body massages to a 15-year-old junior umpire in his garage in 2011.
The Indigenous elder had mentored the boy and told him the massages were important for his performance as an umpire.
When the boy turned 16, the massages became sexual.
Eccles faced the County Court in Melbourne on Monday, supported by four women, when he was jailed for a maximum of four years and eight months.
Chief Judge Amanda Chambers found his offending against a child who was under his care while inside his home was an inherent beach of trust.
“(It was) appalling offending against a child who you had mentored and encouraged,” she said.
“What you did was so egregious that it is nonsensical to suggest you may not have fully appreciated the wrongfulness of your conduct.”
Eccles was appointed as an elder to Koori court hearings in the county and magistrates courts in 2016, and continued in this role until 2023 when he was charged.
In 2021, he received a Victorian Senior of the Year volunteer award for his role in local sport.
However, Judge Chambers said Victoria’s minister for ageing Ingrid Stitt had written to Eccles and requested he return his trophy and certificate for the award.
Eccles, who continues to maintain his innocence, must spent a minimum of two years and 11 months in jail before he will be eligible for parole.
He has already served 67 days of this sentence.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
AAP
