A former high school dance teacher, Nigel Major-Henderson, avoided imprisonment despite admitting to sending explicit messages to two vulnerable 15-year-old girls in Adelaide during 2015 and 2016. Despite pleading guilty to four charges related to communicating to procure child sexual activity, Major-Henderson was sentenced to a two-year bond supervised by the Department of Corrections. This decision was influenced by his lack of prior criminal record, expressed remorse, and willingness to undergo extensive psychotherapy.
The court acknowledged the serious nature of Major-Henderson’s actions, emphasizing that his inappropriate messages had a negative impact on the young victims. However, the judge deemed him not to be a pedophile and concluded that he did not pose a significant risk to the community. Major-Henderson’s family showed apparent disgust during the court proceedings, while he displayed signs of remorse and wept throughout the sentencing.
In his concluding remarks, the judge warned Major-Henderson to strictly adhere to the conditions of his bond and acknowledged that he narrowly avoided a jail sentence due to his remorse and commitment to rehabilitation. Major-Henderson left the court without making a statement, having narrowly escaped incarceration due to a finely-balanced decision based on his behavior post-arrest and lack of prior criminal history.