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Paedophile Ring Member and Former Pastor Dawid Volmer Jailed for Sexual Abuse of 13yo Girl

By Joanna Menagh
ABC News
November 3, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-05/perth-pastor-dawid-volmer-faces-jail-over-peadophile-ring/6916978

PHOTO: Dawid Volmer has pleaded guilty to 12 charges of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl. (ABC News: Joanna Menagh)

One of eight Perth men charged with sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl has been sentenced to more than 10 years' jail.

Dawid Volmer, 41, also known as David, pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including giving the girl a stupefying substance so he could abuse her.

The Perth District Court was told Volmer had three sexual meetings with the girl after her father answered an ad he placed online for sexual massages.

Volmer told police as soon as he saw the girl he knew she was underage, even though her father assured him she was over 16.

The father was also in the room during all of the abuse.

The court heard the first meeting ended when the girl started crying and was chastised by her father.

The two other meetings were set up after Volmer and the father came up with a plan to lie to the girl that the father was being blackmailed by Volmer.

The girl was aged 12 and 13 when the abuse occurred.

Volmer, who was a church pastor and the manager of a prison fellowship group, will have to serve eight-and-a-half years in jail before he can be released.

Outside court, Volmer's lawyer Nick Scerri said his client had asked him to convey his remorse over his actions.

"Over the past few months he's come to realise the consequences of his actions, the pain and destruction that he's caused in the lives of the victim, his family, his friends and his workplace is immeasurable," Mr Scerri said.

"He's tried to find the words to say sorry, but no matter what he says the words feel empty and powerless; maybe it's because no matter what he says, sorry will not undo the damage that he's caused.

"He further says sorry is the only word he has, he wants to say it over and over and shout it from the rooftops, I truly am sorry for my actions he said, and the destruction it has brought to everyone by them.

"I accept the consequences, he says, and asks the community to forgive him."

Abuse depraved, judge says

Judge Mark Herron described the abuse as "depraved" and said Volmer must have known the the girl was being "pressured" or "forced to submit" to him.

However he said Volmer had shown remorse and contrition, which he accepted was genuine.

Judge Herron reduced the sentence due to a number of mitigating factors, including that Volmer had pleaded guilty at an early stage, had acknowledged the devastating impact the abuse must have had on the girl, and that he had co-operated with authorities.

The court heard that co-operation included Volmer promising to give evidence in the prosecution of girl's father.

He and the remaining six men are still facing court proceedings.

 

 

 

 

 




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