Director of Public Prosecutions v Hollow
[2025] VCC 1216
•27 August 2025
E just c
| IN THE COUNTY COURT OF VICTORIA AT WODONGA CRIMINAL DIVISION | Revised Not Restricted Suitable for Publication |
Case No. CR-24-01704
| DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS |
| v |
| GEOFFREY HOLLOW |
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JUDGE: | His Honour Judge Rozen | |
WHERE HELD: | Melbourne | |
DATE OF HEARING: | 5 August 2025 | |
DATE OF SENTENCE: | 27 August 2025 | |
CASE MAY BE CITED AS: | DPP v Hollow | |
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION: | [2025] VCC 1216 | |
REASONS FOR SENTENCE
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Subject:CRIMINAL
Catchwords: Indecent act with a child under 16 - Grooming for sexual conduct with a child under the age of 16 - Sexual assault of a child aged 16 or 17 under care, supervision or authority - Sexual assault of a child under the age of 16 – 12 charges – 7 victims – 3 rolled-up charges – Tennis coach – Sexual offending in sport - Regional community – 10 year offending period – Victim Impact – Sentence indication given – Early guilty plea – Limited matters in mitigation - Moral culpability-high.
Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1958 (Vic); Crimes (Sexual Offences) Act 2006 (Vic); Crimes Amendment (Grooming) Act 2014 (Vic); Crimes Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2016 (Vic); Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic).
Cases Cited:DPP v Lumsden [2023] VCC 212; DPP v Eccles [2025] VCC 840; DPP v Ooms [2023] VSCA 207; DPP v Hum (a pseudonym) [2022] VSCA 57.
Sentence: 12 months’ imprisonment – 18 months’ community correction order – Sex offender registration for life – Serious sex offender – s 6AAA-2 years’ imprisonment – Non-parole period-14 months.
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APPEARANCES: | Counsel | Solicitors |
| For the DPP | Mr D. O’Doherty | Office of Public Prosecutions |
| For the Accused | Mr M. White | CP Law |
YOUR HONOUR:
1Geoffrey Hollow, after a sentence indication was given by the court and accepted by you, you pleaded guilty to 12 charges against seven complainants:
(a) Three charges of indecent act with a child under 16 years, contrary to section 47(1) of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) (‘Crimes Act’) which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment;[1]
(b) Six charges of grooming for sexual conduct with a child under the age of 16, contrary to section 49B of the Crimes Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment;[2]
(c) One charge of sexual assault of a child aged 16 or 17 under care, supervision or authority, contrary to section 49E(1) of the Crimes Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment;[3] and
(d) Two charges of sexual assault of a child under the age of 16, contrary to section 49D(1) of the Crimes Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.[4]
[1] As amended by the Crimes (Sexual Offences) Act 2006 (Vic).
[2] As amended by the Crimes Amendment (Grooming) Act 2014 (Vic).
[3] As amended by the Crimes Amendment (Sexual Offences) Act 2016 (Vic).
[4] See ibid.
2You are to be sentenced on the basis of the Summary of Prosecution Opening for Plea dated 5 June 2025, which I note is an agreed document.[5]
[5] Exhibit P1.
3Charges 2, 10 and 12 are rolled up charges. Several discrete charges have been ‘rolled up’ into one for the purposes of sentencing.
Summary of Offending
Background
4You played tennis in your early childhood and gained your tennis coaching accreditation through Tennis Australia in 2004. You completed a Certificate in Massage in December 1987.
5You were self-employed as a Tennis Coach at Tennis Clubs in north-eastern Victoria. You provided coaching services in group sessions and conducted private lessons with juniors.
6You were a trusted member of the management committee at one of the clubs and helped write and approve the Code of Conduct and Child Safe Policy for the Club. Being a masseuse was not part of your role at the clubs and was prohibited according to the club policy.
The Complainants
7During the period of your offending (2011-2022) you were aged between 57 and 68 years and lived in Wandiligong.
8There were seven victims of your offending:
(a) Kait Stiener [6] who was aged between 13 and 17 during the offending;
(b) Ashlee Mason[7] who was aged between 13 and 17 during the offending;
(c) Marlee Stutton[8] who was aged between 11 and 15 during the offending;
(d) Carla Nelson[9] who was aged between 13 and 14 during the offending;
(e) Astrid Fren[10] who was aged between 14 and 16 during the offending;
(f) Mary Clake[11] who was aged 11 during the offending; and
(g) Zoe Kiltz[12] who was aged 13 during the offending.
[6] A pseudonym.
[7] A pseudonym.
[8] A pseudonym.
[9] A pseudonym.
[10] A pseudonym.
[11] A pseudonym.
[12] A pseudonym.
Offending
Kait Stiener
9From a young age you would tell Ms Stiener that she was talented and encouraged her to take tennis lessons. You endeared yourself to her parents through purchasing Ms Stiener gifts such as tennis orthotics and attending the family home to discuss her talent.
10In 2011, during one of Ms Stiener’s private coaching sessions, you introduced her to your one-on-one strength training exercises. These exercise sessions became routine before each coaching session, eventually extending from the usual one hour session to regularly being two to three hours in length.
11You began taking regular photos of Ms Stiener stating this was for improving her technique. These photos then extended to photos of gymnastic handstands and everyday photos, with it soon becoming commonplace for you to photograph her.
12In 2014, after Ms Stiener told you that she had a sore back, you attended her home to ask her parents for permission to massage her back. You demonstrated your intended treatment. In the presence of Ms Stiener’s mother, you massaged Ms Stiener’s back down to her lower back while she was fully clothed. You told her parents that you were a qualified masseuse. Her parents gave permission for you to provide the massage treatment as demonstrated (no doubt unaware that this was contrary to club policy).
13From that point on, your coaching sessions incorporated massages after Ms Stiener’s strength training. These massages quickly changed, becoming intimate in nature. Ms Stiener recalls sitting on a modified stool which you had fashioned from a bike seat. The seat was widened, and the saddle built up at the front where it sat between the children's legs and contacted their vaginas. As Ms Stiener sat on the modified exercise stool, you sat behind her and pulled her pants and underwear down, exposing her buttocks and lifted her shirt up, tucking it into her bra and exposing her back.
14You began massaging Ms Stiener’s back and buttocks, gradually increasing in intensity. You placed both hands around her waist with your thumbs near her buttocks and fingers just millimetres from her vagina. You pushed her hips back and forth grinding her vagina on the front of the modified exercise stool (Charge 1- Indecent act with child under 16).
15You told Ms Stiener not to tell anyone about the massages, especially her boyfriend, or your private conversations because people may get the ‘wrong idea’.
16Once she turned 14, you began giving Ms Stiener clothing. This included underwear. You asked her to try it on and train in it. You told her that you wanted to trial different underwear to develop a standard type for all female students to wear as you often saw up girls’ skirts as they trained. This occurred on approximately 10 separate occasions, where Ms Stiener would return the underwear to you after training (context).
Ashlee Mason
17You began coaching Ms Mason in a group setting (10 students) at a tennis club in 2008 when she was 8 years of age. In 2012 when Ms Mason was 12, you moved her into a smaller group consisting of only four girls, all of whom were older than Ms Mason.
18Between 2013 and 2014, you approached Ms Mason’s mother and offered to provide private lessons, which she accepted. During these private lessons you introduced Ms Mason to the modified exercise stool and your strength training exercises. You had Ms Mason sit on the stool with a pool noodle over her shoulders and twist her torso. You knelt behind Ms Mason and lifted her shirt, placing your hands against her bare back. You had your hands facing downwards, placing your thumbs on Ms Mason buttocks as she twisted side to side (Part of rolled up Charge 2 - Indecent act of child under 16). Ms Mason felt uncomfortable but trusted you and assumed this was just part of her training. These exercise sessions were conducted at the start of each private lesson.
19In early 2015, you asked Ms Mason if she would like a job as an assistant coach, which she accepted. As part of her assistant coach duties, she was required to do a strength training session with you before she started work.
20Ms Mason recalls a specific incident shortly after turning 15 years old, where you had her seated on the stool and had your hands placed on her bare back and hips as she rotated. You moved your hand down to her lower hip with your thumbs around the back of her hips, touching her buttocks and your fingers around the front touching her thighs. You pushed your fingers around the front of her thighs, pushing on her pelvic bone approximately 10 centimetres from her vagina. At the end of the strength training you slapped Ms Mason on the bottom with both hands (Part of rolled up Charge 2 - Indecent act with child 16).
21Ms Mason was extremely uncomfortable and felt what was happening was inappropriate and wrong, but didn't know how to tell you "no" due to her young age and the power imbalance between you. After that exercise session, Ms Mason began making excuses to avoid strength training with you.
22Shortly after this incident, you asked Ms Mason if you could massage her and one afternoon discussed the idea with Ms Mason’s mother after training. You demonstrated to her mother your intended technique and this became a regular occurrence, with you massaging Ms Mason in the club house in the presence of her mother.
23One afternoon after approximately four massage sessions, you told Ms Mason that you would massage her even though her mother was not present. You locked the doors to the clubhouse to prevent anyone from entering and disturbing you as you massaged her (Part of rolled up Charge 2- Indecent act with child under 16). You told Ms Mason that you did this because if anyone was to walk in it wouldn't ‘look good’.
24It was around this time that you began asking Ms Mason to try on tight clothing for you. You told her that you were helping a group of migrants in the area who were in need of clothing. You asked Ms Mason to try the clothes on and model them for you so that you could see if they fit properly as she was the same size as the girl you intended to gift them to. After wearing the clothing she returned it to you (Charge 3 - Grooming).
25In 2017 after a private lesson, you were standing on the step of the clubhouse. As Ms Mason went to leave, you gave her a small vibrating massager and said "now this is for massages, don't pleasure yourself with it". She was embarrassed and disgusted and ceased working for you and ceased tennis lessons shortly thereafter (context).
Marlee Stutton
26You began coaching Marlee Stutton at the age of 8 in 2011 at a Tennis Club. In about 2014 when Ms Stutton was 11 years of age, you moved her into group sessions with older girls and told her that you saw potential in her tennis ability. She only did these sessions for a few weeks before returning to her regular sessions as she wanted to be with her friends.
27Shortly after returning to her regular sessions, Ms Stutton began private lessons with you on weekends. During these private lessons you introduced her to your modified exercise stool and your exercise regime. These exercises annoyed her and made her uncomfortable as you had her do the exercises with her legs spread as you stood in front of her watching her do the exercises.
28Ms Stutton recalls a particular incident when she was aged between 12 and 14 years old. Ms Stutton told you she had a sore back and after training you took her into the clubhouse where you had her lay face-down on a yoga mat.
29You told her that you had to assess her back, you took out your phone and began taking photographs of her. After you had taken the photographs you told Ms Stutton that her back was not straight and directed her to remove her top. Ms Stutton did not want to take her top off, but slowly started to lift her top up as you had directed her. She got her top up to her shoulders, you could see she was uncomfortable and said to her "okay that'll do".
30With Ms Stutton in a standing position facing away from you, you placed your hands in the middle of her back and began to prod each side of her spine. You continued your prodding down to her lower back and continued down her spine putting your fingers inside her pants (Charge 5 – Indecent act with child under 16). You then moved back up Ms Stutton’s spine, finishing in the middle of her back.
31You told Ms Stutton to bend over and you repeated the process whilst she was bent over in front of you. Ms Stutton felt uncomfortable and confused as after this you told her to stand up and pull her shirt down. That was the end of the examination and you never mentioned her back or any treatment again.
32When she was approximately 14 years of age you asked her to try on a pair of tight-fitting shorts. She complained to you that they wouldn't fit her. You told her the shorts were for a girl in the area. Ms Stutton did not want to try the shorts on but entered the change rooms and did as you had told her to. She was uncomfortable and put her own shorts on over the top of the tight-fitting shorts.
33You told Ms Stutton to remove her shorts which she did. Ms Stutton became angry with you and asked if she could take off the tight-fitting shorts and change back into her own shorts. You told her to wear the shorts while she did her exercises and asked her to play tennis in them (Charge 4 - Grooming). Ms Stutton did as you asked but was now extremely angry as she felt what was happening wasn't right. After she had completed her exercises, she told you that she was taking the shorts off now, you said to her "okay do whatever you want".
Astrid Fren
34Ms Fren first met you in 2017 when she was 14 years of age. Ms Fren attended the tennis club to collect her younger sister after her sisters tennis lesson with you. You introduced yourself to her and asked her if she would be interested in working for you as your assistant coach.
35Ms Fren advised she had never played tennis. You told her there was not much required and offered her $20 an hour. She accepted and began working for you as your assistant coach. On her first shift, you provided her with clothes that she was to wear and told her that it was her uniform. The clothes were revealing in nature and made her feel uncomfortable.
36Ms Fren was then required to do exercises in front of you before coaching began. This became the normal regime, and you had her complete the exercises in front of you each time she worked as your assistant coach.
37Approximately two months after she began working for you, you gave Ms Fren some clothes to try on for you. You told Ms Fren about a disadvantaged student from a nearby area that was struggling financially. You told her that you had purchased clothes for her and wanted Ms Fren to try them on to see if they fit. This became a regular occurrence with you then asking her to train in the clothing without wearing any underwear (Charge 6 - Grooming). You told Ms Fren that you would take the clothes home afterwards and wash them. This made her feel uncomfortable and confused.
38The following year in 2018, you changed Ms Fren’s exercise regime and introduced her to the modified exercise stool. Whilst completing these new exercises, you sat behind her and pushed a yoga ball into her back causing her to arch her back. You pushed her forcefully forward causing the front of the seat to push against her vagina. You regularly changed the seat structure and would ask her which seat was more comfortable. Ms Fren felt uncomfortable and self-conscious performing the exercises but thought that it was all part of her tennis training. These exercises were conducted before each shift she worked for you.
39In 2019, when she was aged 16, you began to massage Ms Fren after she had complained about being sore. The massages took place alone in the clubroom with you whilst she was seated on the modified exercise stool. You pulled her pants and underwear down, exposing her buttocks, and lifted her shirt up over her shoulders and unclasped her bra. You started massaging her back before moving down to her glutes on the side of her bottom. From there you put your hands along the sides of her thighs underneath her shorts and put your fingers around her hips near her vagina, skin on skin and said "oh you're tight there" (Charge 7- Sexual Assault of a child aged 16 or 17 – care, supervision or authority).
40Ms Fren recalls a particular massage where you pressed so hard on her lower back it caused air to expel from her lungs. She was embarrassed and uncomfortable as she didn’t want you to think that she was deriving pleasure form the massage.
41Ms Fren recalled another massage where you utilised a massage table to massage her. You closed the clubroom doors and told her that you did this because if anyone saw the two of you it would look suspicious. You then had her sit on the modified exercise stool and lean against the massage table, performing the massage utilising a vibrating massage gun. As you massaged Ms Fren, you joked about using the massage gun as a sex toy (context).
Carla Nelson
42You coached Ms Nelson from the age of 8 at a Tennis Club. The tennis lessons had initially consisted of group sessions with you.
43Between the 1st of January 2020 and the 31st of December 2021, you began taking Ms Nelson into the club house one-on-one to complete strength training exercises. The exercises were conducted with you kneeling behind her, pushing a peanut shaped ball into her lower back whilst she was seated on the modified exercise stool you had constructed. These exercises made Ms Nelson uncomfortable, but she wasn't quite sure why due to her young age and her trust of you.
44During the same time period, you began asking her if she would like tennis shorts that you had in a tub. You told her that you knew a disadvantaged girl in a nearby area that couldn't afford clothing and that you had a pair of shorts you wanted her to try on for the girl. After putting on the shorts, which she described as tight-fitting bike or gymnastic style shorts, she was required to model them for you so that you could see how they fit. This happened on approximately 3-4 separate occasions, with you requesting that Ms Nelson remove her underwear before putting on the shorts (Charge 8 - Grooming).
Mary Clarke
45On Friday, 4 November 2022, Ms Clarke attended the tennis club for a coaching session with you. You took her inside the club rooms by herself to do strength training. Once inside, you showed her a pair of extremely short exercise shorts and asked her to try them on. You told Ms Clarke that you knew a girl in a near by area that was the same size as her and she wanted the shorts. You said you wanted to see if they would fit the girl before you gave them to her. You directed Ms Clarke to change into them and show you how they fit.
46Ms Clarke went into the toilets and changed into the shorts before returning to the club house. You directed her to begin exercising in the shorts to see how they felt. Ms Clarke asked several times to change back into her own clothes, but you insisted on each occasion that she continue training (Charge 9 - Grooming). At the end of the session Ms Clarke returned the shorts to you.
47The following week, Ms Clarke was doing strength training alone with you when you produced the same shorts. You told her that you had noticed the outline of her underwear through the shorts the previous week. You told her that the girl the shorts were intended for didn't wear anything underneath her shorts and asked Ms Clarke to try them on again, this time without underwear.
48Ms Clarke changed into the shorts as requested and returned to complete her strength training. As she exercised you asked her if you could hold her hips, to which she agreed. You put your hands around Ms Clarke’s waist with your fingers touching her buttocks as she exercised (Part of rolled up Charge 10 - Sexual Assault of a child 16). At the end of the session she returned the shorts to you.
49At the next training session, Ms Clarke entered the club house for her strength training where you gave her the same shorts and said "you know the drill, try them on, nothing underneath". After changing into the shorts, you had Ms Clarke perform the same exercises as you held her hips, touching her buttocks as she did so (Part of rolled up Charge 10 - Sexual Assault of a child 16). At the end of the session she returned the shorts to you.
50On 25 November, you took Ms Clarke into the club house by herself to conduct strength training. Remaining outside on the courts were Ms Kiltz and two other girls. Ms Kiltz and one of the girls had also experienced strength training with you and were concerned as it made them feel uncomfortable. The girls entered the club house to check on Ms Clarke and were sternly told by you to leave. You then had Ms Clarke remove her denim shorts and put on another pair of shorts which you provided.
51As Ms Clarke was doing exercises on the modified exercise stool, you sat behind her and placed your hands on her hips and the top of her buttocks as she rotated side to side. This made her feel uncomfortable. As she continued to exercise you moved your hands from her hips and with both hands placed your fingers underneath the material of her exercise shorts contacting her thighs skin on skin (Part of rolled up Charge 10 - Sexual Assault of a child 16). Ms Clarke became alarmed and leapt up, shouting "No" and exited the club house.
Zoe Kiltz
52Between 28 January 2022 and 8 April 2022, Ms Kiltz was attending Saturday Tennis at the tennis club. At the end of the event you requested her to stay back with you in the club rooms after everyone had left. You introduced Ms Kiltz to your modified exercise stool and had her begin strength training. Ms Kiltz would attend weekly training sessions with you, where initially you directed her how to perform the exercises without touching her.
53Between 26 April 2022 and 7 October 2022, during a training session, you asked her if she would like a new pair of tennis shorts. You gave her a pair of shorts to try on. Ms Kiltz told you they were too small however you insisted that she train in them that day (Charge 11 - Grooming).
54On 7 October 2022 you took Ms Kiltz into the kitchen area of the club house to do strength training exercises. You had her sit on the modified exercise stool and spread her legs wide. As she exercised you aggressively pushed her forward onto the front of the seat and as a result of the motion her genital area was rubbing against the stool (Part of rolled up Charge 12 – Sexual Assault of child under 16).
55Between 7 October 2022 and 25 November 2022, you told Ms Kiltz to go into the kitchen area of the club house and begin strength exercises. As Ms Kiltz trained, you entered the kitchen and stood behind her, grabbing her with both hands around her hips whilst she completed the exercises. (Part of rolled up Charge 12 – Sexual Assault of child under 16). She felt uncomfortable and from that point on refused to do strength training with you.
56On 25 November 2022, upon arriving at tennis training you told Ms Kiltz to go into the club house and commence strength training. She told you she didn't want to but you insisted. She went into the club house and began strength training on her own. Shortly after you came in, Ms Kiltz sat on the stool & exercised, you held her hips with both hands. She wanted to stop the exercises and complained of a sore arm. You produced two small vibrating massagers and told her that you knew how to fix the pain. You used the massagers to massage both her buttocks even though the pain was in her arm (Part of rolled up Charge 12 - Sexual Assault of child under 16). At some time during this incident, two other young players, Ms Dunston[13] and Ms Walt[14] entered the clubhouse, where you yelled at them to ‘get out’.
[13] A pseudonym.
[14] A pseudonym.
57After the exercise session Ms Kiltz went outside with Ms Dunston, whilst Ms Clarke went into the club house with you. Ms Kiltz and Ms Dunston discussed their experiences with you and decided they needed to tell an adult. Ms Dunston called her mother who came to collect the girls.
Police Investigation
58After disclosing the details to Ms Dunston’s mother, the mothers of Ms Kiltz and Ms Dunston attended the local Police Station where the matter was reported to Police.
59A warrant was executed at your address and a number of items were seized. These included electronic devices which were analysed, where hundreds of photographs and videos of numerous female children, including the victims, were located on your devices. These images are in a coaching/tennis environment, however many are not (although not being classified as child abuse material) (context).
60During your record of interview, you admitted that you were well aware that your actions were in breach of the Code and Policy and that "[you] should have known better”.
Victim Impact
61In determining the appropriate sentence in your case, included in the matters to which the court must have regard are the impact of your offending on any of your victims, their personal circumstances; and any injury, loss or damage resulting directly from your offending.[15]
[15] Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) sub-ss 5(2)(daa), (da) and (db).
62To assist a court in assessing these impacts, the law enables (but does not require) victims to make statements to the court setting out particulars of the impact of the offence on them and any injury, loss or damage they have suffered.[16]
[16] Ibid ss 8K and 8L.
63In your case, six of your seven victims have made such statements. All were received into evidence. Two of the statements were read to the court by the prosecutor. It is appropriate to summarise the contents of the statements.
Kait Stiener
64Kait Stiener is now 28 years of age. As noted, Ms Stiener was aged between 13 and 17 when you offended against her.
65Ms Stiener states that she has been profoundly affected by your offending. She states that she lives with regular suicidal thoughts and her sense of safety in her hometown has been shattered. The Australian Tennis Open, which she once enjoyed, brings ‘an annual wave of distress as it awakens the trauma’. Ms Stiener mourns her lost childhood and even her love of sport has become complicated and painful.
66Ms Stiener carries with her the guilt of not preventing you offending against other girls. She feels a profound sense of betrayal that has impacted her ability to trust others and has difficulty sustaining friendships. Ms Stiener explains that waves of guilt, anger, sadness and betrayal overwhelm her.
67Ms Stiener speaks directly to you in her statement and defiantly states that she will not allow the pain and scars your actions have left to define her.
Astrid Fren
68Ms Fren is now twenty-two. In her statement, she explains the emotional, physical and social impact on her of your offending. She too has stopped playing tennis as it gives her a ‘strange, uncomfortable feeling’.
69The experience has affected her trust in others especially men and people in authority. Ms Fren worries that she may run into you when she visits her family. She has received counselling and mental health support.
Ashlee Mason
70Ms Mason, who is now 25, is a child protection case worker. She struggles to work with children who have suffered similar behaviour to that which she endured at your hands. She explains that she feels guilt and shame that she did not speak up earlier. Ms Mason explains that the offending has impacted not only her personally but her family as well who feel they did not protect her from you.
Marlee Stutton
71Marlee Stutton, who is now 22, grew up in the same neighbourhood as the tennis club. She describes the town as a ‘living nightmare’ because of your offending. Your offending and the subsequent court case have placed a massive strain on Ms Stutton’s relationships. She feels that she was failed by the tennis club.
72Ms Stutton expresses her gratitude that she can express herself honestly. Your offending will not define her. For Ms Stutton the future is coming and this chapter ends here.
Carla Nelson
73Ms Nelson is now 18. Your conduct has made her feel upset and vulnerable and she is emotionally fragile. Carla feels wary of other coaches and people in authority. She finds it difficult to open up to friends and family.
Mary Clarke
74Mary is now fourteen. Your offending took away her sense of security and confidence. She feels that a part of her may never recover. She is seeking recognition by the court.
75Finally, Zoe Kiltz, who is now fifteen, did not make a victim impact statement. However, the court can and will proceed on the basis that your offending will have impacted deleteriously on Zoe.
76As required by law, I have taken into account the impact of your offending on each of your seven victims in determining the appropriate sentence to impose.
77The court acknowledges the courage of each of these seven young women and girls and is grateful that they have been prepared to inform it of these very personal matters. I add that there is only one person who is responsible for this offending and that is Geoffrey Hollow. None of the victims, and none of their parents, are responsible.
Objective Gravity
78As part of determining the appropriate sentence to impose in a case such as this, a court must assess the objective gravity of the offending. This is done by examining the features of the offending as disclosed by the facts and will often involve comparing the case before the court with other similar cases where the same charges are filed.
79The court will determine the appropriate sentence by considering the assessed objective gravity of the offending, the circumstances of the offender and other relevant sentencing considerations as stipulated by the law.
80Viewed globally, yours was serious criminal offending. There are several reasons why this is so.
81First, it involved a profound breach of trust. The parents of your young victims had entrusted their care to you and the tennis clubs for which you worked. In the cases of Kait Stiener and Ashlee Mason, you specifically approached their parents seeking permission to massage them. You took advantage of that trust for your own sexual gratification.
82Secondly, your victims were young, naïve and vulnerable. Their ages ranged from 11 to 17. You were aged between 57 and 68.
83Thirdly, there is the number of victims and the duration of your offending. This was not isolated offending. It involved 7 girls over 11 years.
84Fourthly, there was a degree of planning and premeditation associated with your offending. You designed equipment that you used to facilitate the offending. You concocted the bizarre story about children being in need of clothing.
85Finally, there is the profound impact your offending has had on your victims as discussed earlier.
86As your counsel submitted, a consideration of the objective gravity of your offending must also involve an examination of the individual charges. The charges fall into two categories.
87First, there are charges 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 and 12 which involved physical touching. With the exception of charge 10, the girls involved were under the age of 16. Any such offending is of course serious. However, when compared to many cases that come before this court, and without detracting from the clear impact, these were lower level instances of sexual touching offending.
88The second category of offences involved grooming. This mainly involved convincing the girls to try on tight fitting and skimpy clothing. Again this was very concerning behaviour. This is also lower level grooming behaviour compared to cases often seen in this court where the grooming behaviour involves men sending and seeking intimate photographs of their intended victims and engaging in highly sexualised conversations with them. Your case does not have these features.
89Turning to an assessment of your moral culpability, as the prosecutor Mr O’Doherty submitted, the court has not been provided with any information by your lawyers about why you offended as you did. In these circumstances, I can only conclude that the purpose of your offending was to gain sexual gratification. It is unclear whether your attraction to pubescent girls is a function of a condition such as Hebephilia. There is nothing before the court which reduces your moral culpability for your offending which I consider is very high.
Personal Circumstances
90You are currently 70 years old.
91You had a normal upbringing, your father was a World War II veteran and a very strict man, who passed away in 1982 when you were 28, due to a heart attack.
92You were close with your mother growing up, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when you were 4 or 5 years old. Since the diagnosis, you witnessed her breakdowns which often result in her hospitalisation. She passed away in 2015.
93You are the youngest of three brothers. You are mainly in contact with Ian, the middle child, who assisted in organising your legal representation and provided the court a support letter dated 17 June 2025 on your behalf. In the letter your brother describes the effect on your mental and physical health of the charges you face. He describes you as a broken man. However, he makes no reference to any remorse you may have for your victims.
94You attended school until year 11. You recall having lots of friends at school and participating in sports. You recall that you preferred practical subjects over academic subjects. After leaving school, you started an electrical apprenticeship, however did not complete it as the company went broke.
95In 1986 you met your wife whom you married in 1990. Prior to the charges for this offending, the two of you had drifted apart but you were still dedicated to each other including travelling central Australia and New Zealand together.
96After the charges were laid you separated. There has been minimal communication between you mainly relating to the splitting of assets.
97You have one daughter from a previous marriage, who suffers from Usher syndrome. Together, you and Julie had two children. You remain in regular contact with all three children, including visiting your two grandchildren in person before you were remanded.
98Your son Nathan wrote a letter dated 26 July 2025 to the court. He refers to your extensive involvement in tennis coaching. While he describes the withdrawn life you were leading before your remand, he too makes no reference to you feeling any remorse for your offending.
99Since the charges were laid, nearly two years ago, you moved out of your matrimonial home and were living out of your car between caravan parks and free camping areas. Prior to being remanded at the plea for this matter, you were able to secure a campervan to live out of.
100You wrote an ‘apology letter’ dated 26 July 2025 to the court. In it, you take full responsibility for your offending. You apologise to your victims and their families.
Sexual offending and sport
101This is one of at least three similar recent cases in this court which have involved sporting coaches sexually offending against children while coaching them.
102In DPP v Lumsden,[17] a tennis coach in his mid-50’s was sentenced to a Community Correction Order for sexual offending against a 17 year old girl he was coaching. In DPP v Eccles,[18] a 59 year old football umpiring coach was jailed for 4 years and 8 months after a jury found him guilty of sexually offending against a 17 year old junior umpire. In sentencing the two men, Chief Judge Chambers described each instance of offending as involving a significant breach of trust.
[17] [2023] VCC 212.
[18] [2025] VCC 840.
103In sentencing Eccles, her Honour made the following observations about the importance of football in the life of rural and regional Victoria:
For many young people living in regional townships …, football and all the activities associated with the sport, are a central part of their lives. The various clubs and associations form part of the social fabric of the community, and adolescents have the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by adults in senior positions in those clubs and associations.[19]
[19] Ibid, 10 [46].
104The same may be said about the role of tennis in towns such as these north eastern regional towns. Alongside the ubiquitous war memorials, tennis clubs are a feature of even the smallest Victorian towns. Such clubs are often the social hubs of the towns – the glue that holds the towns together.
105Offending such as yours, touching as it does a number of families in small communities, will have a drastic and long term impact on numerous lives. It tears apart that social fabric. This much is clear from the victim impact statements to which reference has already been made. Your victim, Astrid Fren no longer plays tennis - the sport she loved as a child; Ashlee Mason, who also used to love the sport, no longer watches or plays. She worries about how she will react when in the future her female children want to play sport.
106This is your dark legacy Mr Hollow. It is you and you alone who bears the responsibility of the lives impacted by your offending – an impact that will likely extend beyond the present generation.
Matters in mitigation
107There is little beyond your early pleas of guilty to mitigate the sentence the court must impose. Your pleas have considerable utilitarian value. By your guilty pleas, you have saved your young victims and their families the anxiety and trauma of giving evidence at your trial. You have saved court and prosecutorial resources. This entitles you to a significant sentencing discount.
108It is also relevant that at the age of 70 you have led a largely blameless life. Your one prior conviction in 1985 for possessing cannabis has very little relevance to the courts sentencing task.
109I have also taken into account that there has been some delay associated with the prosecution of the case. During this time you have not further offended. Further, the matter has been hanging over your head.
Consideration
110You pleaded guilty after accepting a sentence indication earlier this year. At the sentence indication hearing, your counsel submitted that the court should impose a combination sentence under which you would serve some time in custody to be followed by a community order. The prosecution conceded that such a sentence, under which the maximum period of incarceration is limited 12 months, was a suitable outcome.
111The indicated sentence is therefore the maximum sentence that this court may impose under the law.
112The relevant sentencing considerations are deterrence – both general and specific – as well as just punishment and community protection.
113The dearth of material before the court makes it difficult to assess your risk of further offending. I accept that you are unlikely to find yourself in a situation as a coach again where you will have access to young girls. This reduces the risk as do your lack of any prior offending and the family support you have.
114Your risk of future offending will be further reduced by having to participate in any programs for sexual offending that you are assessed as suitable for under the community correction order that you will have to complete when you are released from custody.
115The court was referred to two cases which were said to be somewhat similar to enable an assessment to be made of current sentencing practices.[20] I have taken the cases into account. However, they are of limited benefit as each case must be sentenced based on its particular facts and circumstances.
[20] DPP v Lumsden [2023] VCC 212; DPP v Ooms [2023] VSCA 207.
116The sentences imposed on charges 2, 10 and 12 must reflect that they are rolled up. Generally speaking a rolled up charge will attract a higher sentence than a charge for a single instance of offending.
117Charges 10 and 12 are for ‘standard sentence’ offences. The standard sentence in each case is 4 years. This sentence is stipulated for the hypothetical offence that is in the middle of the range of seriousness taking into account only the objective factors affecting the relative seriousness.[21] It is but one factor to take into account and, to the extent that the sentence imposed falls below the standard sentence, this must be explained by the court.
[21] Sentencing Act (n 15) s 5A.
118The offences before the court form part of a series of offences of the same or a similar character. The court may therefore impose an aggregate sentence of imprisonment.[22]
[22] Ibid s 9(1).
119All of the offence are ‘serious sexual offender’ offences under Part 2A of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) (‘Sentencing Act’). Therefore, if you are sentenced to imprisonment on two charges, you are to be sentenced as a ‘serious sexual offender’ on the remaining charges. There is a presumption of cumulation but the principle of totality must still be applied.[23] The primary sentencing consideration is community protection.
[23] DPP v Hum (a pseudonym) [2022] VSCA 57, 23-4 [113].
120You were assessed by Corrections for suitability for a Community Correction Order. In a report dated 8 August 2025, you were found to be suitable.
121I am unable to impose a CCO unless you consent to me doing so after I explain to you the purpose and effect of the order, the consequences of breaching the order and the manner in which the order may be varied.[24]
[24] Sentencing Act (n 15) s 95.
122The following core conditions apply to all community correction orders:
(a) You must not commit, whether in or outside Victoria during the period of the order, an offence punishable by imprisonment;
(b) You must report to and receive visits from the Secretary to the Department of Justice, or his or her nominee, during the period of the order;
(c) You must report to the Geelong Community Correctional Services within two clear days of being released from custody;
(d) You must notify the Secretary, or his or her nominee, of any change of address or employment within two clear working days after that change;
(e) You must not leave Victoria except with the permission of the Secretary to the Department of Justice, or his or her nominee; and
(f) You must comply with any direction given by the Secretary that is necessary for the Secretary to give to ensure you comply with the order.
123As the Court of Appeal has repeatedly recognised a CCO is a punitive sanction albeit less punitive than a custodial sentence. Your liberty will be significantly reduced for the 18 months that you will be subject to the order. The overall sentence imposed by the court will therefore be for a duration of 2.5 years.
124I also attach the following additional conditions to the CCO. In doing so I have had regard to the principle of proportionality as well as the purposes for which a sentence can be imposed and the purpose of a CCO.[25]
Other Conditions
[25] Ibid s 48A.
125As recommended in the Corrections report, I will impose an offending behaviour condition. You must participate in any programs for reducing the risk of sexual offending recommended. There is a mental health treatment condition and you are to be supervised.
126I will now tell you about the consequences for breaching such an order.
127If you contravene the order by not fulfilling the conditions, or if you breach the order by committing further offences, you can be charged and a sentence of imprisonment is one of the options that can be imposed for the breach. You can also be re-sentenced for the offences that are before me now and, of course, one of the options available would be a term of imprisonment. So you must make sure that while you are on this order you do not commit any further offences during the term of the order, which will be 18 months, that might incur a term of imprisonment, otherwise you would almost certainly be back before the court and re-sentenced on the charges that are before me.
128You also need to understand that if you fail to comply with any direction of the Secretary to the Department of Justice, being a Community Corrections officer as part of this order, a substantial fine can be imposed.
129You may apply to this Court to vary a condition of the CCO if your circumstances change so that you can no longer comply with the Order or another reason set out in s 48M of the Sentencing Act.
130Do you understand the conditions and the consequences of breaching the CCO and how the order may be varied? Do you consent to the order being made?
131I will impose one CCO as the offences are of a similar character.[26]
[26] Ibid s 40.
132The Order I am making will be of 18 months’ duration.
Orders
133On charges 1-12, you are sentenced to an aggregate sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment to be followed immediately by a Community Correction Order of 18 months’ duration.
134You have been sentenced on charges 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 as a serious sexual offender.
135The sentence imposed is less than the standard sentence of 4 years having regard to the objective gravity of charges 10 and 12 and your pleas of guilty.
136You are a registered sex offender and the period of registration is life.
137Pursuant to section 18 of the Sentencing Act, the 22 days, not including today that you have served since being remanded are to be reckoned as time served in respect of the sentence I am imposing today.
138Pursuant to section 6AAA of the Sentencing Act, had you pleaded not guilty, the sentence would have been 2 years’ imprisonment with a non parole period of 14 months.
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