Collingwood icon Jeffrey “Joffa” Corfe has avoided prison for his “depraved” crime against a 14-year-old child nearly two decades ago.
In the County Court of Victoria on Monday, Corfe, the long-term leader of Collingwood’s cheer squad, received a 12-month suspended sentence for performing a sexual act on a child at his home in January 2005.
Corfe last year pleaded guilty to the charge, referred to as “depraved” by Judge Gerard Mullaly on Monday.
Judge Mullaly said the victim, who cannot be identified, contacted Corfe via email towards the end of 2004 and the beginning of 2005 before Corfe offered to perform oral sex on the child despite knowing they were not old enough to provide consent.
“It was you who introduced the sexualised element,” Judge Mullaly said.
He said Corfe lied about his age to the child, who walked from his own house to Corfe’s and was directed into his bedroom where the assault occurred “almost immediately”.
Corfe, now 62, was 44 when the offence occurred; however, he lied about his age to the victim and claimed to be younger than he was.
Judge Mullaly described the age difference as “significant”.
In part of the victim impact statement read out by Judge Mullaly, the victim said “for 15 years I blamed myself for what happened” and the assault “planted something so toxic in my mind”.
“His life was one of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem,” Judge Mullaly said.
“You were the adult, and you should not have exploited the victim’s immaturity.
“You put your own sexual gratification above all else.”
Judge Mullaly said Corfe was one of seven children who had endured “poverty and neglect”, and family members, including his daughter, included strong statements of support.
He said Corfe was experiencing significant heart problems, and his risk of reoffending was low.
“This was a one-off event,” Judge Mullaly said.
Corfe rose to fame in Melbourne’s footballing circles by donning a glittering gold jacket when Collingwood were on the verge of victory.
He was the subject of the 2010 film Joffa: The Movie and in 2015 published the autobiography Joffa: Isn’t That Life?
