Top Bloke or Dangerous Predator?

Character references may be gathered and presented by criminal defendants in child sexual abuse cases in order to mitigate sentencing or evade responsibility for offending behaviour through impression management. This strategy capitalises on the cognitive dissonance between the community perception of a “top bloke” versus the reality of their sexual offending behaviour against children. It is difficult to believe that a “top bloke” could be capable of such things. Understanding the process of grooming behaviour, which can manifest in the collection of character references in criminal defence strategy, is integral to determining the weight given to such material in decision-making by juries and the judiciary.

What is grooming in the context of child sexual offending behaviour?
Grooming refers to the deliberate process by which an offender builds a relationship of trust and emotional connection with a child (and often with the child’s family, caregivers and broader community) in order to manipulate, exploit and ultimately sexually abuse the child, and later evade criminal responsibility.

Key features of grooming:

• Targeting and selection: Offenders often look for children who appear vulnerable (e.g., due to age, lack of supervision, low self-esteem, or social/family difficulties)
• Gaining trust: The offender may establish trust with the child and the adults around them by being friendly, helpful or generous (i.e., the “top bloke” effect). This can include working or volunteering in roles that are traditionally trusted in the community, such as emergency services, law enforcement, health professionals, educators and child care providers, sporting and other recreational clubs, and religious organisations.
• Building secrecy: Offenders encourage secrecy, normalise inappropriate behaviours, and create situations where the child feels isolated or reliant on them (e.g., for transport, supervision, and facilitating participation in desired recreational activities). This may include rewarding the child’s secrecy with gifts, money, alcohol or other drugs, or much desired attention and opportunities that they do not have with other adults in their life. This also builds a dysfunctional sense of loyalty towards the offender, and reduces the likelihood of the child reporting the abuse. Many victims are emotionally torn regarding feelings of gratitude or affection towards the person that abuses them due to successful grooming tactics, versus the feelings arising from the harmful acts that this person has perpetrated against them.
• Desensitisation: Offenders may gradually introduce sexualised talk, touching, or exposure to pornography, so that the abuse feels less shocking or easier to accept. In the grooming process, this may happen in the presence of the broader community so that red flags may be dismissed by responsible adults with disarming thoughts such as “that’s just him…he’s a top bloke…he doesn’t mean anything by it.” One example of this was in a recent high profile example where an offender regularly set up a massage table in full view of the community at sporting events and massaged children under the guise of providing a legitimate health service to facilitate sporting health, whilst abusing the children.
• Maintaining control: Offenders often use manipulation, threats, guilt, or gifts to ensure the child does not disclose the abuse. This can include emphasis on their own social standing as a “top bloke” to manipulate the child into feeling that their disclosure would not be believed.

Gathering Character References
Child sexual offenders sometimes try to gather character references as part of their strategy to minimise suspicion, reduce the risk of detection, or protect themselves legally if allegations arise. This can happen both before offences are discovered (to build a trustworthy public image) and afterwards (to defend against investigation or charges). Grooming can involve deliberately cultivating relationships with respected people in the community who can later vouch for good character. When interacting with adults, the child sexual offender may be charming and act in an exemplary manner, hiding any abusive tendencies, so that people genuinely believe them to be a safe and decent person.

Cognitive dissonance: Can a “Top Bloke” be a Dangerous Predator?
Yes, they can, because the persona of being a “Top Bloke” is a deliberate deception and masquerade. Cognitive dissonance in community and victim perception of an offender plays a powerful role in perpetuating child sexual offending behaviour. It is difficult to rationalise that a person so broadly and warmly viewed could also be a dangerous child sexual predator. Hence, it is easier to deny or dismiss a child’s disclosure. This effect can also be seen within families, for example when a mother is informed by their child that their father is sexually abusing them, and the mother does not believe the child because it is unfathomable to her perception of him, and if true would destroy the family and life as she knows it.

The impact for victims
It can be psychologically harmful for victims to become aware of the success of grooming behaviours by the person that has abused them, and this impact is magnified within the Court process when their credibility is weighed against that of the offender by decision-makers. When character references are presented, particularly when they are numerous and from high profile members of the community, the victim’s experiences of abuse can feel minimised and the veracity of their claims questioned with disbelief. The victim can feel, and actually be, vilified for tarnishing the reputation of a well-loved person in the community. Some victims choose not to report at all, because they do not feel that they will be believed when the person that has abused them is viewed in the broader community as “a top bloke”. This is the intention of the offender, and they may directly warn, intimidate or threaten the victim against reporting by using their social status and reputation to silence the victim.

When the mechanisms of grooming are well understood during criminal law proceedings, and other jurisdictions such as family law and child safety matters, the power of this tactic is reduced and victims are better supported to come forward and endure the rigours of prosecution of their matter.

Top Chicks?
It is also noted that females can engage in grooming behaviour and the sexual abuse of children, and may do so to facilitate abuse by a man, or be acting independently to meet their own needs. The abovementioned information is equally applicable to female offenders. Further, grooming can be more effective as women are less likely to be perceived as dangerous sexual predators against children.

Relevance in legal practice
In summary, grooming is a planned strategy used to lower a child’s resistance, reduce the risk of discovery and successful prosecution, and to facilitate escalation in the abuse. Gathering character references in the process of defending against allegations of sexual abuse is part of the grooming process, and has the specific purpose of manipulating the perception of jurors and the judiciary to favour the offender against the victim’s credibility. This is a cautionary tale, and if you are ever faced with a situation in which you are asked to provide a character reference, you are presented with a voluminous bundle of references from your client, or you are a decision-maker considering the weight of such evidence or instructing a jury, please keep this information in mind.

September 2025
Dr Georgina O’Donnell
Independent Forensic & Clinical Psychologist