Name and Shame Me

Putting a Face to Corruption, Tyranny, and Dereliction

Public office

Andrew Muller

Andrew Muller
Photo: Key Chambers

On 6 October 2026, Justice Andrew Muller sentenced a teenager for the repeated rape of an 18-year-old woman, and then suspended the jail term in full. The teenager pleaded guilty to sexual intercourse without consent. He was convicted and sentenced to 18 months' jail, fully suspended for a good behaviour order. The Canberra Times reported that the sentence will be served in the community, rather than behind bars. He was 16, nearly 17, when he did it. He is now 18. He cannot be named because of his age. Region Canberra reported what the court was sentencing. They met at a house party in Canberra in mid-2025. She had just turned 18. They walked to a nearby green belt and kissed. He then got on top of her and forcefully and violently raped her numerous times over about 20 minutes. She was crying and said, "Please stop, I don't want this." He stopped her from using her phone. The Canberra Times reported that Muller said those unanswered calls denied her "a prospective means of assistance," that the teenager had walked her "away from her friends and the relative safety of the group environment at the party," and that he "used considerable force in pursuit of his own sexual gratification" where she "had little capacity to defend herself." Muller said the circumstances were humiliating and degrading, and that they involved significant physical force. She told the court she can no longer call her body her own. She said that night her life was stolen and would forever be changed. He suspended the sentence anyway. The Canberra Times reported that, in determining the sentence, Justice Muller accepted the teenager's prior lack of sexual experience and "limited insight into societal norms in Australia" reduced his moral culpability. The crime he was sentencing was rape. He treated limited insight into Australia's norms as a reason that rape was less the offender's moral fault. She was crying and telling him to stop, and that limited insight still counted as mitigation. The teenager was born in South Asia and moved to Australia at the start of 2025, about six months before the rape. Muller said the prospects of rehabilitation were "significantly improved" if the teenager remained in the community with close supervision. Region Canberra reported that he took into account the teenager's young age, a low risk of reoffending, the lack of prior sexual experience, a restricted opportunity for social development because he had only recently moved to Australia, and the need to promote his rehabilitation. The teenager told a report author the woman was "exaggerating stuff" and that he "didn't force her." Muller said he had "some troubling concerns about the level of insight." He said: "I have no doubt he feels sorry, but whether he feels sorry because of the impact these charges have had in his own life, or whether he feels sorry because he realises what he did was wrong ... is a little unclear." Region Canberra reported that Muller noted this same teenager had punched another student at school last year and had photographed a fellow student who was using the toilet. Asked about that photograph, he laughed and said it was a joke. Drew Pavlou wrote the next day: "I don't understand. This is sickening."

Teen avoids jail for repeatedly raping young woman near house party

Currently holds

Office contact

ACT Law Courts Building, Supreme Court

Address
4-6 Knowles Place, Canberra City ACT 2601
Hours
The building is open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Enquiry counters are open 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Telephone enquiries run 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday.

The chambers page lists Justice Muller's associate at (02) 6207 2603 and associate.mullerj@courts.act.gov.au. It does not publish a direct number or a personal email for him. The courts are at 4-6 Knowles Place, Canberra City. The Supreme Court postal address is GPO Box 1548, Canberra City ACT 2601. General enquiries are (02) 6205 0000. Supreme Court criminal matters go to the registry at (02) 6205 0125, SCCriminal@courts.act.gov.au.

Oversight

  • Chief justice

    Lucy McCallum

    Chief Justice of the ACT Supreme Court. The chambers page lists her executive assistant at (02) 6207 1568, EA.ChiefJustice@courts.act.gov.au, and her associate at (02) 6207 2601, Associate.McCallumCJ@courts.act.gov.au.

  • Judicial complaints

    ACT Judicial Council

    Anyone can complain in writing about the behaviour, or the physical or mental capacity, of a judge of the ACT Supreme Court. The Council says that includes conduct in court, delay in giving judgment, and health that affects the work. A complaint has to give the complainant's name and address and has to name the judge. The Council does not accept anonymous complaints. The courts direct those complaints to the Council at (02) 5119 5550 or Principal.Officer@actjudicialcouncil.org.au.

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