Indian-origin man jailed over sex with 14-year-old girl in Australia

MELBOURNE - An Indian-origin man living in Australia has been jailed after he had sex with a 14-year-old girl during an afternoon of drinking.

A man named Steven Handros, 19, had contacted the victim and her friend through the Internet social networking site Myspace, the Victorian County Court heard, reports News.com.au.

Last September Handros and his friend Ravinder Singh, 31, picked up the victim and her friend from a train station before going to Singh’s home in suburban Lalor.

The girls had been drinking from a bottle of alcohol in Singh’s car and after they arrived at Singh’s house, Singh had consensual sex with the 14-year-old girl.

Handros also later had consensual sex with her.

Judge Meryl Sexton said the men were reckless as to whether the girl was under 16 and had engaged in a serious breach of trust.

Singh, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years jail with a minimum of 10 months.

Handros, of Thomastown, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

He received a wholly suspended 15-month jail term after the judge found there were exceptional circumstances in his case including his youth, admissions, willingness to give evidence against his co-accused, and the narrow age between him and his victim. (ANI)