Suspended Albany horse trainer Desmond Murray Attwell avoids immediate prison for indecent act with child

A suspended Albany horse trainer has avoided prison after pleading guilty to indecently dealing with a 13-year-old at the boat ramp in Emu Point in May 2023. Desmond Murray Attwell, 57, was sentenced in Albany District Court on May 24 for one count of indecently dealing with a child of or over the age of 13 years and under the age of 16. His second identical charge was discontinued on May 20 when he entered his guilty plea. On May 11, 2023, Attwell supplied alcohol to his 13-year-old victim which they drank at the boat ramp in Emu Point. While parked in a car, Attwell indecently dealt with the victim and said he would leave his wife for her. The victim left the car and called a friend to tell them what had happened. Attwell later called the victim’s friend and said “I’m not like that”. Attwell was arrested the same evening after the friend called the victim’s mother. His horse training licence was suspended as a result of the charge. District Court Judge John Staude labelled Attwell’s conduct “wholly inappropriate” and said it was clear from the victim’s impact statement that she had been “emotionally and psychologically affected”. He found that Attwell did not have a disordered sexual attraction to young teenage girls and said it was far more likely he had become “infatuated” with the victim. “It is clear that you were carried away by your infatuation with her, in circumstances where your engagement clearly went out the window,” he said. He said Attwell’s offending was “out of character and isolated”. “I’m satisfied that you are remorseful and that you take responsibility for your actions . . . You appreciate that you committed a grave breach of trust by dealing with the child as you did on this occasion,” Judge Staude said. Citing Attwell’s co-operation with police and the “isolated nature” of the offending, Attwell was sentenced to nine months jail, suspended for 12 months. He was declared a reportable offender. Attwell was further fined $2500 and ordered to pay $137 in court costs on Thursday for supplying alcohol to a juvenile on an unlicensed premise.