Organist held a 'naive misconception' during repeated abuse of child, court hears

CONTENT WARNING: This story refers to child sexual abuse

An organist’s repeated sexual abuse of a teenager was a “protracted course of conduct” taken in the mistaken belief the two were in a relationship, a court has heard.

Peter David Gilbart Jewkes, now aged 68, met the victim shortly after his family moved to NSW in the late 1970s.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said that in Jewkes’ “naive misconception of a relationship” existing between the two, he “perceived the relationship to be loving and caring”.

In reality, it was his “emotional immaturity” that meant he didn’t understand the unbalanced dynamic from their different ages.

While abuse occurred in NSW and the ACT, he was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday (21 November) over offending that occurred in the Territory when the victim was 15.

The victim disclosed the abuse to NSW Police in 2015, which led to a conviction, before disclosing it to ACT Policing in 2022.

Jewkes was charged with indecent assault on a male and attempted buggery. These offences no longer exist.

The overall offending represented a “protracted course of conduct” by Jewkes towards the victim, which included taking him on short trips to regional NSW and the ACT in a “situation when an adult had effective supervision of a minor”.

On one trip, Jewkes and the victim stayed at a motel and shared a bed, where the abuse he is being sentenced for occurred.

Chief Magistrate Walker said the offending “did not make [the victim] happy” and that he “passively accepted their occurrence”.

In a victim impact statement, the victim “spoke of the isolation and despair” brought on by Jewkes’ offending, Chief Magistrate Walker said.

”I [the victim] was stuck in the back of my mind, screaming, but no one could hear me,” she said.

The abuse ”stole my childhood, destroyed my education” and ”destroyed my faith”.

He recounted experiencing mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and insomnia, and difficulties being in crowds.

In sentencing Jewkes, Chief Magistrate Walker said he had pleaded guilty despite not remembering the acts.

“[He pleaded guilty] acknowledging that generally there was sexual engagement between them at that time,” she said.

In a prepared statement previously submitted to the court, Jewkes claimed a “deep regret for the pain his actions caused the victim” and was “accepting responsibility for it”.

“I accept the offender was unaware of the distress he caused,” she said.

Chief Magistrate Walker said Jewkes had been “generous in sharing his expertise” as an organist and organ repairer and had also been active in the community in the decades since his offending against the victim.

She convicted Jewkes of both charges and sentenced him to a total of 10 months’ imprisonment. This was suspended upon him entering into a nine-month good behaviour order.

If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on (02) 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT on (02) 6280 0900, and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call triple zero.