Shepparton man jailed for sexually assaulting three people in one night

Johnston's first victim was a massage parlor employee who refused his request for “full-service sex” at 6:20 p.m. on October 8, 2022.

He told her, “I have money,” but she refused and told him she only did massages.

Johnston forced his way through the store door before pushing the worker into the staff area, where he grabbed her breasts and touched her inappropriately until she screamed: “We have CCTV”, and he fled.

The woman then rushed to a nearby business to ask for help and called the police.

Johnston's second victim was a woman picking up a passenger at Shepparton train station.

Johnston got into his car and grabbed her from behind with his hands, hugging her before kissing her around 9:20 p.m.

The woman honked her horn, told him to “get off me” and noticed his wallet was missing after Johnston left.

The third victim was trying to leave Shepparton train station in his car the same night and was forced to stop to avoid hitting Johnston.

Johnston tried to get the car keys, opened the driver's door and told them to get out.

When the victim told Johnston they would not get out of the car, he responded that he would “give them a thousand dollars.”

Johnston then climbed into the driver's passenger seat and said he just wanted to go home, before climbing on top of the victim.

He started kissing and biting them on the lips and chin before finally getting out, and the driver locked the car.

Police found Johnston self-harming at his Shepparton home at 1.49am on October 9 before he was taken to hospital and sedated.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court, the third victim said she was now “constantly on edge”, “afraid to be alone in public” and “always afraid of what will happen” when she left the house.

Sentencing Johnston, Judge John Kelly noted Johnston's underlying psychological and emotional problems but said the serious offending would have been “disturbing and frightening” for the “three terrified victims going about their lives”.

“They have done nothing to deserve the interest you have in them,” he said.

Johnston was influenced by alcohol and drugs from an early age and his childhood was “marked by antisocial influences”.

At the time of the incident, he was regularly using drugs, including methamphetamine, GHB and cannabis, which he had no memory of.

Judge Kelly acknowledged that Johnston's time in custody had been “productive” and described the drug treatment programme he underwent as “the best nine months of his life”.

Judge Kelly said Johnston's prospects for rehabilitation were not hopeless, but noted he was considered to pose a moderate risk of sexual reoffending.

Johnston was sentenced to four years and one month in prison and must serve two years and one month before being eligible for parole.

The 696 days he spent in pre-trial detention will be counted as time already served.

The GV Centre Against Sexual Assault provides free and confidential advice, information, advocacy and support services to people who have experienced sexual assault. Call 1800 112 343 or visit gvcasa.com.au

Lifeline offers crisis support and suicide prevention help. Call Lifeline on 131 114.