Liam Anthony Thornton, 26, leaves the ACT Courts during his trial last September. Photo: Albert McKnight.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to sexual assault and child abuse.
Two girls and their families detailed the trauma they endured after the pair were sexually abused or raped by the same man, with one of their mothers saying, “Every day we live with so much heartache and grief”.
In the early 2020s, Liam Anthony Thornton was in his early to mid-20s and employed at the Canberra Reptile Zoo when he met both girls through their shared interest in reptiles.
At the end of an ACT Supreme Court jury trial last year, he was found guilty of grooming and indecently assaulting the first girl, who was under 16, as well as repeatedly sexually assaulting, raping and choking the second girl, who was under 18.
While the first girl was abused earlier, she went to the police after she found out Thornton had been charged over the second girl’s allegations due to media reporting on the matter.
The first girl faced the court for the 26-year-old’s sentencing hearing on Thursday (5 February) and said she struggled with the label of being a sexually abused child.
“Some days I struggle with sadness so overpowering I can’t function. All I can do is cry,” she said.
The girl said she had never gotten the chance to get to know herself, as she had been abused so young.
“What would my teenage years look like without Liam clouding my thoughts?” she said.
The second girl told the court how she struggled after the attack, including how she was left in excruciating pain from her injuries for months.
“I couldn’t be the girl I was before,” she said.
“He has hurt me so much, and the fact that he hasn’t told the truth just hurts more.”
She said she started to repeat to herself, “I hope it ends with me”, after she learned Thornton had also abused the first girl, but she felt there was hope others would be protected due to the jury’s guilty verdicts.
The ACT Supreme Court will sentence Liam Anthony Thornton at a later date. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
At the sentencing hearing, the first girl’s mother was visibly emotional while saying how she felt so terribly sorry for the second girl when she found out Thornton had gone on to rape her.
“Liam has never acknowledged what he did to [my daughter], but we know what he did. We have lived with it for years,” the mother said.
“We have to protect other girls from him.”
Both of the girls’ mothers spoke of or wrote about the love they had for their daughters.
“I can’t express how proud I am of my amazing daughter,” the second girl’s mother wrote.
The prosecutor said the author of a court report found Thornton couldn’t express any victim empathy, saw himself as a victim, downplayed his offending and thought his victims were in alliance with each other.
Also, she said the author reported that he thought that if he had been more romantic with one of the girls, she might not have gone to the police.
Barrister Tahn O’Rourke argued her client suffered extra-curial punishment due to comments that had been made on social media in response to media reports on the case.
She also said a psychologist had diagnosed him with developing post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the trial process, and he was now receiving Centrelink payments as he was unemployed.
Justice Belinda Baker will reserve her judgment and hand it down at a date to be set.
Thornton was found guilty of grooming and committing an act of indecency on a young person over the first girl.
In relation to the second girl, he was found guilty of two counts of committing an act of indecency without consent, three counts of attempted sexual intercourse without consent, three counts of sexual intercourse without consent and one count of choking.
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 02 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT on 02 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call triple zero.
If you have been affected by sexual violence, or someone you know has, you can report it to police by attending a police station or phoning 131 444.
Great idea Tim. Wouldn't it be great if people could access swimming pools & basketball courts… View