An international student who has been sentenced for sexually assaulting a co-worker will be deported to India.
Gurmeet Singh, a student from India, pleaded guilty in Southport District Court in Queensland to a single count of sexual assault. He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, wholly suspended for a period of three years.
The assault occurred when Singh offered to drop his 20-year-old co-worker home after work.
They stopped on the way to have drinks. reports that the court was told the victim had reluctantly allowed Singh to kiss her in the car before he forced himself on top of his victim and sexually assaulted her.
Crown prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher said, “It really is despicable conduct which demonstrates that he thinks he is entitled to take what he wants despite her protests”.
Singh has been in immigration detention for the last 12 months and is expected to be sent back to India in the coming weeks after his visa was cancelled.
Mandatory visa cancellation
Immigration authorities cancel a person’s visa on character grounds if they have been convicted of a crime with a sentence of 12 months or more imposed, regardless of whether the person actually serves the sentence. Such a person is deemed to have a ‘substantial criminal record’ which mandates mandatory cancellation.
According to the Department of Home Affairs, once a person has been deported from Australia following visa cancellation on character grounds, such a person will be permanently excluded from being granted another visa to re-enter Australia. The cancellation of their visa will also prevent them from applying for most other Australian visas.
