A Victorian soldier who barged into a female colleague’s bedroom at an army barracks and raped her while she was sleeping has been jailed for five years.
Jermaine Schmidt was attending weapons training at the Puckapunyal Australian Army base, near Seymour in central Victoria.
His victim, who was attending the same training, went to a bar at the base known as The Boozer, where Schmidt was also having drinks with colleagues.
She went back to her bedroom and fell asleep but was awoken by two soldiers knocking on her door, including Schmidt, who asked her for a cigarette.
She said no and went back to sleep, but was woken again after Schmidt, drunk, let himself into her room and begged to stay with her.
The woman refused, but he persisted, so she eventually let him sleep above the covers of her bed.
Schmidt then sexually assaulted the woman in her bed and raped her while she was sleeping.
The woman waited for him to fall asleep, then ran to the bathroom, hoping he would leave her bedroom.
He was still in her bed when she returned and acted as if nothing had happened, asking how to get out of her accommodation block without being seen.
A few hours later, he sent her several apologetic text messages, saying he was “drunk” and “super sorry” for what happened. He was suspended from the army after the allegations surfaced.
Schmidt pleaded not guilty and the case went to trial, where he was found guilty of sexual assault and rape by a jury.
The County Court sentenced Schmidt, 23, to five years in prison on Thursday, including 92 days already served.
His victim has been mentally and financially impacted by the crimes. The court heard she did not pursue her career in the army because of what Schmidt did to her.
“It is the court’s experience that victims of rape almost always suffer impacts of this kind and such impacts can be long-lasting,” Judge Paul Lacava said.
“All sexual offending of this kind is serious, this case is no different.”
Schmidt must serve at least three years before he is eligible for parole.
AAP
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