Claims extracted
26
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
8%
2 of 26 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
68/100
ABC News (AU)'s corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Crime & Law
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
In short:
Kerry Blackman faced a trial in the Bundaberg District Court.
asserted
Blackman → face → Court
He was found guilty of four charges of sexual assault dating back to 2013.
asserted
He → find → 2013
Blackman will face a sentencing hearing next week.
asserted
Blackman → face → hearing
Former Gidarjil Development Corporation chief executive Kerry Blackman has been convicted of sexual assault against a young woman almost a decade ago.
asserted
Blackman → convict → woman
Blackman faced a two-day trial in the Bundaberg District Court this week.
asserted
Blackman → face → Court
He pleaded not guilty to four charges of sexual assault and one charge of common assault relating to a woman between 2017 and 2023.
asserted
He → plead → 2017
Crown prosecutor Kate Thamm told the court Blackman had a "sexual interest" in the then 23-year-old woman, and the charges stemmed from a series of interactions between them.
asserted
charges → tell → them
In one incident in 2017, Blackman confronted the woman outside a toilet and whispered in her ear and bit it, before grabbing her backside.
asserted
Blackman → confront → backside
"She could smell the soap on him," she said.
"
uncertain
she → smell → him
The force of how he touched her moved her underwear."
asserted
he → touch → underwear
Ms Thamm said Blackman bought the woman lingerie as a gift and sent her an inappropriate text message.
asserted
Blackman → say → message
"When a man buys lingerie and tells her she has a tight bottom, it only means one thing," Ms Thamm said.
"
asserted
Thamm → buy → thing
He is sending her text messages about her tight arse, he had a sexual interest in her and he acted on it."
asserted
he → send → it
Blackman's defence barrister, Simon Lewis, told the jury the text could be categorised as "outdated male banter" rather than a sexual advance.
uncertain
text → tell → banter
In another interaction, Blackman grabbed the woman around the head with his hands and kissed her on the lips.
asserted
Blackman → grab → lips
The court was closed to the public during the witness's testimony but was reopened for the closing statements of the prosecution and defence.
asserted
court → close → prosecution
During the closing statements, Mr Lewis questioned the timeline of dates and events that were reported to police and the clothing the woman was wearing during one of the alleged incidents.
asserted
woman → question → incidents
"The account has moved, the year has moved," he said.
asserted
he → move → ?
"Two of the five charges she never [previously] reported to police."
asserted
she → report → police
The jury requested clarification on whether the woman was wearing shorts, slacks, or trousers during one of the alleged sexual assaults.
asserted
woman → request → assaults
"That remains unanswered," Mr Lewis said.
asserted
Lewis → remain → ?
In his summary, Judge John Allen KC told jurors they were to consider whether the woman was a credible witness and if they were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the sexual assaults and common assault occurred.
asserted
assaults → tell → doubt
After five hours of deliberations, the jury of six men and six women returned their guilty verdict for four charges of sexual assault.
asserted
jury → return → assault
He was found not guilty for a single charge of common assault.
asserted
He → find → assault
Judge Allen revoked Blackman's bail.
asserted
Allen → revoke → bail
He was remanded in custody, with a sentencing hearing listed for next week.
asserted
hearing → remand → week
The Aporia