Jail for pedophile who bribed girls

A man who used cigarettes and cash to entice sexual favors from four schoolgirls was yesterday jailed for at least six years.

Richard Jongsma, 41, paid hundreds of dollars to the girls, aged between 14 and 16, and took them shopping at a suburban mall, buying shoes and underwear.

In exchange, County Court Judge Tom Neesham said, Jongsma received sexual favours in his car, at a local park and at home. He also convinced two of the girls to pose for pornographic photographs.
"It is clear that you satisfied your undoubted perversion by paying them to accommodate you," Judge Neesham said.

Jongsma, of Primula Street, Blackburn North, was sentenced to eight years in prison with a minimum term of six years.

Earlier this month he pleaded guilty to 17 charges including seven counts of performing an indecent act on a child under the age of 16, two counts of causing a child to take part in an act of prostitution and counts of making and possessing child pornography. The offences were committed between July 2001 and September 2002.

Jongsma met the first girl through an Internet chat room when she was 14. The other victims were her sister, aged 16, and two school friends, both 14. It all starts in a chat room and ends up to be your childs worst nightmare.

Police arrested Jongsma in September 2002 following an anonymous tip-off. A search of his home revealed an extensive collection of downloaded child pornography, including images and footage Judge Neesham described as monstrous. There are plenty of other sick people out there just like him just waiting to prey on your children. Watch them on the Internet, it is a very dangerous place for a child to be alone.

A report from forensic psychologist Jeffrey Cummins tendered during the plea hearing suggested Jongsma was not a pedophile and was not likely to reoffend.

But Judge Neesham said Jongsma had lied during his psychiatric interview and that he could not accept the report. He said he did not believe Jongsma was remorseful and said the community needed to be protected from him. Jongsma was sentenced as a serious sexual offender.