A Sydney court has sentenced a Salvation Army youth support worker from Nigeria, Friday Fredrick Jeremiah, to a minimum of six months in jail for having sex with a 17-year-old girl in his care at a homeless shelter.
Jeremiah, 35, pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to nine months in jail with a non-parole period of six months.
The court heard that Jeremiah exploited the girl’s vulnerability and engaged in sexual activity with her in a nearby park.
“This caused the victim to feel uncomfortable and she did not say much.
“The therapeutic youth support worker later led the victim away from the shelter to a nearby park, grabbed her head and kissed her which she said also made her feel uncomfortable,” the court was told.
According to reports, Jeremiah thereafter led the teenage girl to a tree and pulled down her pants before engaging in sexual activity with her.
The court was also informed that Jeremiah returned to the shelter, telling the girl to wait 10 minutes before coming back, so as not to draw suspicion.
The girl then messaged a friend to narrate her ordeal with Jeremiah.
“Jeremiah continued to message her for months after the incident, even after she left the shelter for long-term accommodation.
“At one stage, he sent her a picture of his genitalia with the message: ‘Let the sleeping dog lay’ to which she did not respond.
“She later sent Jeremiah a message about boundaries and told him their relationship was unprofessional and should not be continued,” the court was further informed.
Judge Andrew Scotting in his sentencing, said Jeremiah was “deceptive” and “secretive” about their relationship.
Jeremiah was alleged to have asked her to save his contact as “Uncle Chad”, so no one would know it was his number.
It was also stated that he told her she was his “favourite client” and not to tell other workers about their friendship.
The judge further described these actions as a “serious breach of trust” and noted the significant age gap between the two.
“The victim was a resident because she was vulnerable and the offender took advantage of that vulnerability to get close to her and have sexual intercourse with her,” Judge Scotting said.
It was discovered that Jeremiah was the breadwinner of his family and also sends money back home to family members in Nigeria from where he emigrated in 2008.
The judge noted Jeremiah had a good work history and was an active volunteer at his church, he stated however that, “his good character was reduced to some extent because the offender relied on his good character to become a carer for vulnerable people such as the victim.”
He will be eligible for parole on December 3.