Jail Term For Indecencies (Press, 14 July 1984)

In a High Court ruling on 14 July 1984, Mr Justice Roper sentenced a 30-year-old sawmill worker, Alan Joseph Revell, to four years in prison following his guilty pleas to two charges of sodomy and two of indecent assault. The court heard that the offences involved repeated indecent assaults on a boy from the age of nine, with Revell admitting to about 100 incidents of indecency short of sodomy against the same child. The judge highlighted the tragic impact of Revell's actions on the victim, noting that the boy now led a homosexual lifestyle as a result of the assaults, which began when he was under Revell's care. The Crown was represented by Mr G. K. Panckhurst, while Revell's defence lawyer, Mr M. J. Glue, acknowledged the gravity of the situation and indicated that a non-custodial sentence would not be appropriate. The probation report suggested that imprisonment could help Revell address his issues and that he would benefit from counselling. Notably, Revell reportedly sought psychiatric help prior to the police investigation and expressed genuine remorse for his actions. Mr Justice Roper observed the significant coercive element in Revell's conduct, as he had threatened the boy about disclosing the abuse. Despite Revell's lack of prior convictions for similar offences and his cooperation with authorities, the judge deemed the case to have severe negative implications. Recognising the sustained nature of the abuse and its disastrous effects on the victim, he emphasised that Revell's actions represented the worst features of such crimes. In a bid to protect the victim's identity, Mr Glue sought a suppression order for Revell's name, which the judge considered in light of the circumstances surrounding the case. Ultimately, while Revell portrayed a desire to turn over a new leaf upon his release, Justice Roper made it clear that the seriousness of his crimes warranted a substantial prison sentence.

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