Former coach who sexually assaulted boys sentenced to more than six years in prison

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Harry Sadd has been sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.

Sadd, a former youth badminton coach, pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual assault involving six boys from 1970 to 1985.

The Crown had asked for 10 and the defence for two years less a day.

Sadd was arrested in 2016 when a man approached Victoria police with allegations that he had been assaulted by Sadd starting when he was about nine until his late teens.

Defence lawyer Chris Considine called for a sentence of two years less a day followed by three years of probation, noting that Sadd had sought treatment in the 1980s and 1990s.

Sadd was previously in court in 1991 and 1993 for sex-related charges that led to one suspended sentence and one sentence of 30 days.

Crown prosecutor Leslie Baskerville had told the court she disagreed with the defence characterization of the significance of Sadd’s apparent control of his urges. She said that Sadd lacks “remorse or insight” into what he has done.

A report on Sadd said he maintains that he never forced sex on anyone, and that the boys involved were mentally and physically able to make their own decisions.

More to come

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