A depraved rapist who pimped-out and brutalised his wife in the most vile of ways has received a discounted sentence because he was a former prison guard who was the subject of negative press.
Jon Seccull, 46, denied ever raping his then-wife Michelle Skewes – who gave Daily Mail Australia permission to name her – multiple times between February 2014 and September 2015.
His acts were so degrading, perverse and frightening Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to detail them.
Jon Seccull and his then-wife Michelle Skewes on their wedding day in 2003. The tragic death of their son years later saw them commence an open relationship that ended in horror, a court heard
On Wednesday, County Court of Victoria Judge Sarah Dawes sentenced Secull to a minimum of six years and 10 months in jail. He has already served 613 days behind bars.
In coming to her conclusion, Judge Dawes took into account the stress and anxiety Seccull felt while caged at Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat – the home of some of Australia’s worst sex predators.
Seccull had worked as a correctional officer up until he was charged by police in 2017, acting as a prison ambassador for White Ribbon – an organisation that campaigns against violence against women.
He also became a high-profile campaigner for organ donation after their son’s tragic death, speaking at events and to media.
Judge Dawes, who was backed by Victoria’s Director of Public Prosecutions, accepted Seccull had been subjected to intense media scrutiny over his sick offending, which added to his depression behind bars and activated Victoria’s ‘Verdins Principles’.
Under Victoria’s Sentencing Act of 1991, the principles, if accepted, reduce the offender’s moral culpability and force a judge to consider the added ‘hardship’ jail will have on them.
The court heard Jon Seccull used to enjoy watching his wife Michelle Skewes have sex with other men. He also enjoyed raping and tormenting her
Jon Seccull hid behind a veil of respect as a prison guard. He has now used that very role to avoid spending more time behind bars
They are principles rolled-out and relied upon by convicted criminals and their lawyers on a daily basis in Victoria
‘The prosecution does not take issue with the submission that prison will weigh more heavily on you and I am satisfied that it is applicable,’ Judge Dawes said.
‘I am told that the extent of the media reporting in the past has caused you great concern and affected your mental health.
‘This is particularly relevant now as you have been acquitted of egregious offending in the current trial … I accept that being the subject of public interest has added to the stress of associated with these proceedings and to the criminal process overall.’
‘I accept that the media coverage is a mitigating factor … the prosecution accepts the media coverage amounts to extra-curial punishment.’
Judge Dawes comments relate to Seccull’s 2021 trial in which a jury found him guilty of nine counts of rape, two counts of assault and one count of threatening to inflict serious injury.
He was sentenced then to 15 years behind bars with a minimum of at least 10½ years.
Seccull appealed that outcome on the grounds the judge grossly interfered with the trial amounting to a substantial miscarriage of justice.
The Victorian Court of Appeal agreed and sent him back to the County Court for a retrial.
This time around, the jury found Seccull guilty of just three charges of rape and one charge of threatening to inflict serious violence against Ms Skewes.
Jon Seccull raped Michelle Skewes in the most horrendous of ways after her return from a QLD trip where he watched her have sex with a stranger, detailed in court
Jon Seccull, 46, denied ever raping his then-wife Michelle Skewes
Both juries heard Seccull had long-held fantasies and cruel desires and would arrange for his wife to meet other men for sex, having it live-streamed for him to watch.
He would warn her beforehand not to fall in love and remind her that she belonged to him. If she refused, he would punish her.
The jury accepted Seccull had violently raped Ms Skewes after she returned from a live-streamed sex session with a man in Queensland in 2014.
He raped her again a year later after a drunken argument.
It was the same year he approached her with a loaded gun and threatened to smash her head in, shoot himself in the head and allow their children to find his body.
Judge Dawes condemned Seccull’s outrageous treatment of his terrified wife, who has since become a powerful public voice against domestic violence.
‘Your degrading and volatile conduct resulted in a significant and fundamental breach of trust,’ she told the rapist.
Ms Skewes told the court her long ordeal had made her often believe she got what she deserved throughout her marriage, which effectively ended in 2016.
‘No-one truly knows what goes on behind closed doors.’ she said. ‘I was left a shell of who I previously was and still question my worth everyday.’
Outside court, Ms Skewes said she was happy to be done with the long court process.
‘The sentence was better than I was anticipating and the fact he’s on the sex offenders register for life is absolutely huge,’ she said.
Seccull was sentenced to a total maximum sentence of nine years and nine months behind bars.
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