By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A former building director has been jailed after pleading guilty to grooming a 14-year-old child for sex.
Andrio Torcasio, now 47, of Clyde, discussed sex, sent explicit pics of himself and persistently asked for graphic photos from ‘Lucy’ via online apps over three months in late 2020.
The Dandenong-based builder requested to meet with her at a Cranbourne McDonald’s outlet, his house or her home.
During that time, ‘Lucy’ was in fact an undercover police officer.
In sentencing on 14 September, Victorian County Court judge Marcus Dempsey dismissed Torcasio’s “fanciful” and “fantastical” reasons for his “frankly vile” offending.
Such as Torcasio claiming he knew Lucy was an officer and played along. Or that he’d thought Lucy was his wife trying to entrap him.
Judge Dempsey said he was concerned by Torcasio’s “lack of candour” in his police interview after arrest.
He’d admitted that it was a thrill to talk to someone younger and what he’d done was “wrong”.
“It was never going to happen … never eventuated anyway,” Torcasio told police about the attempted meeting.
Judge Dempsey said he was also troubled by Torcasio’s varied depictions of when he’d used or given up ice and cocaine.
Why Torcasio was disqualified as a builder for two years was also unclear, the judge noted.
“It was unusually difficult for me to get a clear, consistent or coherent account of your life from the materials in front of me.”
On 5 September 2020, the then-45-year-old Torcasio with the display name ‘Andy Cassa’ contacted ‘Lucy’ on a KIK private messenger app.
Early in the exchange, he asked “how many kids do you have”.
She replied: “Kids (wide-eyed emoji). Lol im 14 in yr9.”
“Hot for 14,” Torcasio wrote back.
He asked for more pics including a “cheeky” one. Days later he sent an explicit, naked one of himself.
Over the following months, he pursued Lucy with more sexualised discussions and pic requests.
At one stage, he invited her to meet him at McDonald’s car park for a frozen Coke.
He waited in vain in a champagne-coloured Mercedes roadster with the top down, while watched by two undercover police officers.
On 4 November 2020, he again arranged to meet ‘Lucy’ at McDonald’s.
The same day, Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team police raided Torcasio’s home and arrested him.
Judge Dempsey noted Torcasio had no relevant prior convictions, a solid work history and had since lost his family, house and business in part because of his offending.
He’d also complied with strict bail conditions for two years.
There were no exceptional reasons to spare him jail, however.
Judge Dempsey rejected Torcasio’s arguments that ice use or mental health struggles reduced his culpability.
“You groomed a person you thought was a child for sex because it interested you at the time.
“The seriousness of the offence is not to be underestimated.”
Torcasio was convicted and jailed for three years, but will be released after 14 months on a supervised recognisance release order.
During the two-year RRO, he is subject to a $2000 good-behaviour bond as well as rehabilitation programs.
He must report as a registered sex offender for eight years.
