BishopAccountability.org

Former Families SA carer and regional school Christian pastoral worker jailed over student sex abuse

By Andrew Hough
Advertiser
February 19, 2017

https://goo.gl/RMY99T

Wayne Daniel Phillips with some students.

Wayne Daniel Phillips at an earlier court hearing.
Photo by Tait Schmaal

Wayne Daniel Phillips engaged in the illicit affair behind the back of his wife of 10 years.
Photo by Tait Schmaal

AN unrepentant former Families SA carer and school Christian pastoral worker has been jailed over his sexual abuse of a student despite his denials and victim blaming.

The Advertiser can reveal how married Wayne Daniel Phillips, 33, “exploited his position of trust” during his time at a country high school, where he targeted the “particularly vulnerable” girl.

The child-sex predator groomed his shy, lonely and naive victim — who came from a “strict religious family” and “lacked self-confidence” — online and showered her with affection, flattery and attention.

The pair communicated via Facebook over a “significant period of time”, a District Court judge said.

“(He) used his position of trust to encourage a rather shy and family-orientated young woman to engage in a lengthy sexual relationship,” said Judge Paul Cuthbertson in sentencing.

Phillips, a “narcissistic” Christian pastoral support worker at her regional school, engaged in the illicit affair behind the back of his wife of 10 years.

His Families SA position also gave him access to “public infrastructure”, which he exploited to conduct clandestine sexual offences with his victim.

He was only caught after the girl, who is now subject to a lifetime anonymity order under state law, confided in a male friend, who told his mother.

Phillips’ trial was conducted with strict secrecy orders — to protect his victim — that banned publication of his name, identity, his school, the dates and location of his offences, as well as his occupations.

He can be unmasked today after the girl agreed that he could be named, in the hope of protecting the community, despite the risk that she could be linked to him.

The girl, now an adult, declined to comment.

Phillips, who lived locally, was found unanimously guilty at trial of having committed at least eight sex crimes against his female victim, who he blamed amid claims she was “infatuated” with him.

On Friday, Judge Cuthbertson revoked suppression orders and authorised publication of his identity, and occupations, after a successful application from The Advertiser.

Judge Cuthbertson jailed him for 12 years and nine months after describing the evidence as “overwhelming” and the “offending in this case ... particularly serious”.

While the predator wanted home detention, he must spend at least six years and nine months behind bars.

The judge said Phillips “exploited his position of trust” through his unique Christian pastoral school worker role, while the teenager was “particularly vulnerable” to the attention of an older male “who held a significant position within her community”.

“(He) maintained his claim of innocence in the face of overwhelming evidence against him,” he said. “Regrettably, (he) has seen fit to maintain (this) unrealistic position … that he had done nothing wrong.

“Given the complete failure … to admit his offending and recognise his misdeed, it is difficult to make any assessment of the likelihood of his reoffending.

“It is a great pity it has come to this because I can well understand the influence (he) could wield amongst youth. He has certain charisma and the ability to influence youth in the right direction. All that is now lost to him and to the community.”




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