August 18th, 2010
A TEENAGER who tried to rape a woman he heard crying outside his house has been sentenced to serve one year in jail.
Gareth Stirling, 17, was asleep in a house in a Central Australian community when he heard the victim calling out for her husband in the street, and decided to have sex with her in February, 2009.
He went outside, told the woman her husband was inside and followed her into her house. Stirling then pushed the woman into a bedroom, straddled her and took off her clothes as she yelled in an Aboriginal language: "Help me, come on, help me".
She slapped him and kept calling out for help until people started banging on the door. He then got scared and fled the house.
Stirling pleaded guilty in the NT Supreme Court at Alice Springs to one count of attempted rape. Chief Justice Brian Martin said it was fortunate the woman had resisted.
"You attacked a woman who was vulnerable and alone," Justice Martin said. "If she had not put up that resistance and made a noise, you would have succeeded in your efforts and would be here facing a more serious charge of rape."
He sentenced Stirling to two years and nine months in prison, suspended after he serves one year.
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