Former Aboriginal youth leader Damien John Yarran found guilty of indecently assaulting his employee

Former Aboriginal youth leader Damien John Yarran has been found guilty of indecently assaulting one of his Baldjamaar Foundation employees. Yarran, 46, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday via video-link from Albany, where he was convicted of two counts of indecent assault after pleading not guilty to the charges in January. Mr Yarran is best known through his work as chief executive of Albany-based Aboriginal not-for-profit organisation, Baldjamaar Foundation. Handing down his verdict on Tuesday, Magistrate Kevin Tavener told the court the assaults took place at the home of the victim, who Yarran worked with, on the afternoon of December 1. The court was told that on the day of the incident, Yarran contacted the victim who was working from home to ask if he could “drop by” her house to discuss a work-related matter. The victim invited Yarran inside, where he asked for a tour of the house then made a comment in her bedroom which made her feel uncomfortable. After leaving the bedroom, Yarran moved behind the victim, made a vulgar comment and put his hand under her skirt. Despite her protests, he continued his advances, trying to kiss her neck, pulling her legs apart and groping her. He started grinding his body on the victim before she managed to roll out from under him and told him to leave. Mr Tavener said the incident happened in a “matter of minutes”. During the incident, the victim sent text messages to her former boyfriend, saying she was worried because Yarran was not leaving and the situation was “getting f...ing weird”. After Yarran left, she told him she was “shaking”. Yarran, meanwhile, sent a text message to the victim shortly after leaving the house which said: “Oops. Sorry, stressed”. At 2.30pm, the victim called a friend who “heard her sobbing”. The victim told told her friend that Yarran had “touched her”. Mr Tavener said DNA evidence had been provided during last week’s trial but was “not particularly conclusive”. He said what was in dispute throughout the trial was whether Yarran had entered the victim’s home at the time of the incident. According to Yarran in a police interview, he arrived at the home about 2pm but stayed outside and talked to the victim through a screen door. Yarran maintained that he spoke to the victim from outside the home. However, Mr Tavener said he was satisfied that Yarran had gone into the house and found him guilty on both charges of indecent assault. Yarran’s defence lawyer Kyah Langdon submitted that her client be placed on an intensive supervision order. But Police Prosecutor Sergeant Dave Loverock said given Yarran was in a “position of authority” over the victim, the offending could be “at the higher end of the scale” and it warranted a term of imprisonment. Mr Tavener said Yarran “didn’t persist” during the assault and had no prior record. He ordered a pre-sentence report and adjourned the matter until June 8 for sentencing. In March last year, Yarran was honoured by WA Police for a decade of service as a senior Aboriginal police liaison officer. He ran for a seat on the City of Albany council at last year’s local government elections, finishing second in the Vancouver ward. Baldjamaar Foundation was established in 2017 to “support children, youth and families through their journey through education”, according to its website. The foundation’s website and Facebook page were taken down earlier this year.