Ryan Wolfgang Erntner, 34, is being sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court after sexually assaulting two women. Photo: Albert McKnight.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to sexual abuse.
One of the two survivors of sexual violence inflicted by the same man said his horrific assaults tried to reduce her to “an object of control and cruelty”.
“These were not isolated acts, they were sustained and deliberate violations of my body,” the first woman said during the sentencing hearing of 34-year-old Ryan Wolfgang Erntner.
“I live with the aftermath every single day … I have had to fight for every moment of peace, for every breath that doesn’t feel like drowning.
“These crimes didn’t just target me; they’ve torn through the fabric of my family.”
She was addressing the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday (1 October) because she said she didn’t just want to speak, but to be heard.
“I will not be erased,” she said.
“I refused to be defined by what was done to me.”
The second woman, in a statement read by the prosecutor, said the impacts of Erntner’s violence didn’t just end when the assaults did.
“Knowing that my body was violated and changed by things I never chose is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life,” she said.
“He didn’t just take moments from my life; his actions changed the course of it.
“I’m still trying to find the person I was before Ryan. I hope that I will find her again one day.”
Erntner appeared disinterested when the court heard from the two women, as he could be seen over an audio-visual link picking his nails while sitting in a prison room.
While Region has obtained the agreed court documents about his offences, most of the details are too distressing to publish.
The documents state the first woman found a video of Erntner sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious and went to the police.
Police went on to discover he repeatedly raped her on many other occasions and took intimate photos or videos of her without her consent. He also choked her, using such force on one occasion that she began coughing up blood.
“I swear to f-ing God, I will shoot you if the police get called on me,” he once told her after assaulting her.
In addition, the court documents say Erntner drugged the second woman before filming himself repeatedly raping and choking her while she was unconscious. She found six videos of these assaults before she went to the police.
He inflicted more violence against the woman, including splashing petrol on her and threatening to set her on fire, then later broke into her home, choked her and repeatedly raped her again.
“Stop speaking or I’ll kill you,” he said when she told him to stop.
He was arrested in 2023.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard that there was one video in which Erntner was told “no” or “stop” at least 22 times.
Earlier, Chief Justice McCallum had thanked the first woman after she finished making her victim impact statement, as she was in the courtroom in person.
“I want you to know that the crimes committed against you, the offender will be held accountable for them,” the judge told the woman.
“I can’t imagine the courage that it took you to walk to that witness box and read that victim impact statement.”
Erntner, who pleaded guilty to numerous charges including sexual intercourse without consent, remains in custody and his sentencing will continue on 12 December.
The two women have given the media permission to name him in reporting.
If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT on 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call Triple Zero.
You can also submit an online report about a historical sexual assault allegation for incidents that occurred more than six months ago.
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