Speedway racer Higgs jailed for 4 years and 3 months — ABC News Australia

In Australia, the Albany District Court sentenced speedway racer Dustin Gary Higgs to four years and three months in prison for sexual offences against an underage girl. He will be eligible for parole after serving two years and three months of the sentence — in January 2029.

Court verdict

As ABC News reports, on August 3, a jury found Higgs guilty of sexual penetration of a child aged between 13 and 16. He was also acquitted of five other charges. The jury rejected the defence's version that the sexual acts began only after the victim turned 16.

The court found that Higgs met the girl when she was 15 through the speedway fan community. They initially communicated on Snapchat and later met at a speedway-related event. Judge Gary Massey noted that the man's numerous messages complimenting the girl's appearance constituted grooming.

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Case circumstances

The court concluded that the sexual acts began in January 2022, when Higgs booked a room at the Hilton hotel in Albany. The defence insisted that nothing sexual happened at the hotel and that the couple stayed there before travelling to a national park. The court did not accept this version. The next episode occurred a month later at the Dog Rock motel.

Defence lawyer Johnson Kitto asked the court not to impose a custodial sentence on Higgs because he requires lifelong immunotherapy to treat a rare kidney disease. A corrections service representative said the necessary treatment would be provided in prison. According to ABC News, Higgs will be held at Casuarina Prison, where he will have access to medical care.

The court also issued an indefinite restraining order prohibiting Higgs from contacting the victim and from coming within 50 metres of her workplace or place of study.