Two Perth men sentenced to over two years for raping 14-year-old in van

In Geraldton District Court, Clinton Parry Harris, 30, and Sheldon Todd Barron, 25, entered guilty pleas for raping a 14-year-old girl in the back of a van on Brand Highway. The victim had connected with Harris via Snapchat, and after a missed bus, Harris drove from Perth to Geraldton to meet her and bring her to their residence, where the van had been modified with a mattress. The court heard the trio smoked cannabis before the assault, and the girl asked them to stop, which they initially obeyed before resuming.

Both men asserted they thought the girl was older than 16, but Judge Lawrence Levy found that belief unreasonable. Harris was sentenced to two years and eight months, eligible for parole after 16 months; Barron received two years and two months, eligible after 13 months. The judge emphasized the lasting impact on the victim and praised her bravery in reporting the crime.