Zoo Worker Jailed for Grooming, Abusing Teens

0:00In Sydney, it's March 6th, here's what is happening. A former Canberra reptile zoo worker has been sentenced to more than five years in jail for grooming one teenage girl and sexually abusing another. Liam Anthony Thornton, now 25, was convicted last year on 11 charges, including sexual intercourse without consent and acts of indecency. He met the girls through their mutual love of reptiles when he was in his early 20s. One girl was under 16 and the other under 18. The offenses happened in the early 2020s. The victims shared how the abuse shattered their happy memories of the zoo, a place they once adored. One described deep fear and trauma that no young person should face, while the other lost her dream of working there after trusting him for years. The judge noted weeks of online and in-person grooming with the younger girl, plus a clear breach of authority due to the age gap. She said his actions were driven by sexual gratification and rejected his altism diagnosis as an excuse, since he understood consent but ignored.

1:01Profusals Thornton showed no remorse. He got five years and three months behind bars with a non-parole period of three years and two months. Eligible for release in 2029, he was taken straight into custody after the hearing. Dean in his sponsored by our partner, check out the episode description. Do not just listen to podcasts, get lost in them comfortably, S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com.