A former police detective from New South Wales, Glen Coleman, has faced a setback in his legal battle after losing an appeal against his convictions for sexual offences against a 19-year-old woman. Coleman, 58, was sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison after being found guilty of inappropriately touching the woman without her consent in 2022.
The incident occurred when the young woman reported her cousin’s threats to distribute nude pictures of her online at the police station. During their interactions, the jury established that Coleman had made inappropriate requests, including asking to see the woman’s breasts and touching her at both the police station interview room and a local park. He also attempted to barter sexual favours for money, visited a strip club where she was performing, and once placed cash on the interview room table prior to engaging in sexual activity.
He received a sentence of three years and seven months, with a non-parole period set at two years and two months. Coleman lodged an appeal against his convictions, which was heard in May. However, the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed his appeal, affirming both the guilty verdicts and his prison term. As a result, he will remain incarcerated until at least mid-2026.
Coleman’s legal team argued that the jury’s findings were inconsistent, given that he was convicted of two incidents but acquitted of seven other related charges. Nevertheless, the prosecution pointed out that the jury carefully evaluated the complexities surrounding the teenager’s capacity to consent and Coleman’s understanding of consent during the trial. Crown prosecutor Carl Young noted that the jury’s decision reflected their thorough consideration of the evidence presented, rather than a lack of credibility regarding the victim’s testimony.
Support resources are available for those affected by similar issues, including the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service, reachable at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).