AusLeisure

A Perth-based karate instructor who sexually abused a teenage student and then threatened to kill her if she reported it, has been sentenced to eight years jail.

Having been found guilty of 26 charges of sexually abusing the girl earlier this month, Gavin Michael Smith was sentenced on Tuesday in the Perth District Court.

The girl was repeatedly abused will training at the karate club where Smith was a ‘sensei’ (martial arts teacher). The abuse, which began when she was 15, commenced when he drove her to and from karate training sessions and continued, the Court heard, while she was "under his care, supervision or authority" over a 16-month period.

Not long after he started abusing her, he formalised the transport arrangement with the girl's parents at a meeting where he told the girl's mother he could help build her daughter's self-confidence.

The mother testified she agreed to the arrangement because she trusted Smith.

The Court heard the abuse happened on a weekly basis when Smith would stop his vehicle and they would have sex in areas of parks and open spaces.

When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, the girl used the opportunity to stop going to karate and seeing Smith, but the Court heard he then threatened to kill her or have her subject to a violent attack if she did not return.

Smith, who is a married father of two, denied ever having any inappropriate behaviour with the girl.

Judge Fiona Vernon told Smith that he had been in a position of power and authority over the victim, who was less than half his age, noting “her karate training taught her that you were entitled to respect.

"You took advantage of the authority you had over the victim by reason of your position in the sport that she loved and as her sensei."

Judge Vernon also described the offences as a gross breach of the trust of the girl and her parents, finding that Smith had only offered to drive the girl around to facilitate his access to her to continue his offending adding that Smith's conduct after the girl stopped attending karate was an aggravating factor in the offending but she accepted that it was out of fear that the offences would be disclosed.

The Court heard details of a victim impact statement written by the girl, in which she said she suffers anxiety and depression and now feels unable to develop any romantic relationships.

Judge Vernon noted that the statement did end on a hopeful note with the girl saying she had slowly begun the process of rebuilding meaningful relationships with her family and pursing her passions.

Smith, who the Court heard is being held in protective custody, will have to serve six years before he is eligible for release on parole.

Image: Gavin Smith will have to serve at least six years before he is eligible for parole. Credit: Facebook.

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