Woman, 20, sentenced for sex with 15-year-old boy

Olivia Bambery aged 21 pleaded guilty to having sex with a 15 year old boy. Photo / ODT

Sexual activity between a 20-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy resulted in the woman being sentenced in the Dunedin District Court this week, convicted of having sexual connection with a young person.

Olivia Megan Bambery, of Christchurch, had pleaded guilty.

She was sentenced to six months' community detention (curfewed 6pm Fridays to 6am Mondays), and 12 months' intensive supervision (with three-monthly judicial monitoring).

Conditions of the sentence include the requirement for her not to have contact with any person aged under 16. She is also to undergo an adult STOP programme, and any treatment/programme for identified offending factors.

Reviewing the facts, Judge Michael Turner said Bambery and the victim met several years before the offending.

A friendship developed when Bambery returned to the area and they became reacquainted.

The offending occurred over about a month when, with the consent of the victim and his parents, Bambery shared his bed.

Interviewed by police in March last year, about six weeks after the end of the offending and the relationship between the two, Bambery admitted having sex with the victim on numerous occasions despite knowing his age and that her actions were against the law.

She said they initially had sex about three times a week, increasing in frequency to several times a day.

Olivia Bambery Bambery admitted having sex with the victim on numerous occasions despite knowing his age and that her actions were against the law. Photo / ODT

The judge said pre-sentence material indicated Bambery stated the victim had pestered her for sex, she told him to wait until he was 16, but she ultimately relented. The material also said Bambery was immature and operated "younger than her chronological age".

Because of her traumatic past, she lacked the skills to make change.

Imposing sentence, the judge said aggravating factors were the five-year age disparity and there having been full sexual intercourse on numerous occasions. Being permitted to share the victim's bed might be considered unusual in the extreme, but his parents would not have expected Bambery to commit an offence.

In mitigation, Bambery had no previous convictions and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Although it did not proceed, she had been willing to attend restorative justice.