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Disgraced Collingwood superfan breaks his silence after avoiding jail for sexually abusing a child after making a new life in Brisbane: ‘I’m not in control of what other people think’
- Jeffrey ‘Joffa’ Corfe will avoid jail
- That’s despite pleading guilty.
- He sexually abused a 14-year-old boy.
Collingwood AFL superfan Jeffrey ‘Joffa’ Corfe has spoken out for the first time since his escape from jail after sexually abusing a child in 2005.
Corfe, 62, admitted last year to sexually abusing the 14-year-old boy at Corfe’s home in north Melbourne. She pleaded guilty to one count of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16.
The pair met online, with Corfe telling the boy he was in his 30s in messages.
However, once they met in person, the victim soon realized that this was not the case. After Corfe sexually abused him, the then 44-year-old agreed that they should not have engaged in sexual activity.
“The victim was far from comfortable and left after minutes,” Judge Paul Mullaly said during Corfe’s sentencing at Victoria County Court on Monday.
Jeffrey ‘Joffa’ Corfe arrives at Melbourne Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy
Corfe was one of the most recognizable fans of the Collingwood cheerleading squad: he donned his gold jacket when he thought the Magpies had won a match.
The victim was traumatized by the encounter.
The court heard that the abuse was ‘once’ in Corfe’s law-abiding life, and he was a loving father and generous member of the community.
The judge fully suspended Corfe’s 12-month prison sentence for two years, but he will be a registered sex offender for 15 years.
If he did not plead guilty, the judge would have sentenced him to prison for two years and four months with a non-parole period of 14 months.
The 62-year-old is now making a new life in Brisbane and 7News reports that he lives on a street with families, but has insisted he is not a danger to children.
Asked ‘why should I walk free’ by Cassie Zervos, Corfe said: ‘I really can’t, umm… I’m not in control of what other people think or believe, what their opinions are.
So I tend not to worry about that kind of thing.
“I’ve stayed away from social media and all that kind of stuff.”
Corfe said that he is not in control of what others think and that he will ‘speak soon’
When asked if the Brisbane community could feel safe around him, he replied: ‘Oh, absolutely.
‘Well, they should. I am not a danger. Trust me, I’m not a danger to anyone.
“One day I’m going to sit down with someone and have a really good conversation about this, until then, I’m just going to get on with my life.”
Zervos asked: ‘Is there something you want to tell your victim? I know you haven’t had a chance to, is there anything you want to tell him?
Corfe said, ‘No, not right now, I’ll speak soon, but not right now.’