Summary
Aim
To describe the penalties imposed on adult offenders convicted of child sexual assault.
Results
Over the two year period 2009 and 2010, 495 offenders were convicted of child sexual assault. Ninetyseven per cent of those convicted were male and 64 per cent of offenders had no prior convictions in the preceding five years. The most common penalty imposed on an offender convicted of child sexual assault was a prison sentence. Prison penalties were imposed on 75 per cent of offenders convicted of aggravated child sexual assault, with an average aggregate sentence of 68 months, and an average minimum term of 39 months.