"You have destroyed her trust in men."
This is what a judge has told a man who sexually abused a 12-year-old girl with an intellectual disability after meeting her at a shopping centre.
Laurence Martin Coghlan was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday, May 28, after pleading guilty to having sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16.
The 56-year-old sexually assaulted the girl at his home in December 2024 after first meeting her at the Belconnen shopping centre.
The pair initially started chatting about Mr Coghlan's dog before he invited the girl back to his place. At the house, he asked if the girl wanted to have a shower and then joined her, despite her protests.
He then took her to the bedroom where he sexually assaulted her.
On Thursday, Coghlan was sentenced to just over four years and two months in jail, with a non-parole period of two years, one month and six days.
Acting Justice Patricia Kelly said the victim shared the impact of the assault in a hand-written statement.
She said the letter was written in a "heartbreakingly simple language but straight to the point" manner.
"You took advantage of a chance encounter with an extremely vulnerable 12-year-old girl with significant intellectual disabilities," the judge told Coghlan.
She said video recorded around the time of the crime made it "abundantly clear" that the victim was "a vulnerable young girl with obvious disabilities".
"No one, including you, could have failed to appreciate her vulnerabilities," she said.
During sentencing, the judge took into account his disadvantaged childhood and mental health conditions.
She said a substantial jail sentence was called for, along with an appropriate non-parole period to address the man's need to access support services.
Coghlan will be eligible for parole in March 2027.
