A New South Wales horse trainer, Dwayne Donald Schmidt, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for raping and impregnating a 13-year-old girl in the mid-1990s. The victim, now an adult, gave a powerful impact statement describing the lasting trauma, including the heartbreak of terminating the pregnancy resulting from the assault. Schmidt pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse with a child and was arrested after a covertly recorded phone call in which he admitted to the offenses.

During sentencing, the judge categorized the crimes as mid-range offending, noting Schmidt’s previously unblemished record. Schmidt has lost his license to train racehorses and faces significant professional and social consequences. The Crown prosecutor emphasized that loss of employment and community exclusion were appropriate outcomes, not additional punishments. Schmidt will be eligible for parole in July 2027.