Former Tas MP avoids jail over child sex

A former Tasmanian MP has dodged an immediate jail term after being found guilty of having sex with a 12-year-old.

Terry Martin, 54, was last week found guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under 17 and of producing child exploitation material.

On Tuesday, Justice David Porter sentenced Martin to 10 months in jail, wholly suspended, the ABC reports.

Judge Porter linked Martin's offending to medication for Parkinson's disease which triggered hypersexual desire, the report said.

Martin, a former MLC and Glenorchy mayor, responded to an advertisement for adult sexual services in 2009 placed by the girl's mother and a pimp.

He paid the girl $600 to perform sex acts and also photographed them.

Martin denied the charges on the grounds that he thought the girl was 18.

heraldsun.com.au 29 Nov 2011

Another timeless example of how the government supports child abuse, especially if the perpetrator is one of their own.

Excuses are given so that the 'mates' are not incarcerated.

Judges that make these seemingly 'poor' decisions should be remove from their positions, but by whom, other corrupt judges?

Rarely do government officials end up incarcerated for the same crimes the masses get convicted and imprisoned for.

Another example of how these people are above the law.