Kogarah dance studio rapist is jailed

Anthony Sampieri, 56, punched and raped a seven-year-old girl for 40 minutes

A paedophile who bound and raped a seven-year-old girl inside a Sydney dance studio has been sentenced to life in jail.

Judge Paul Conlon said Anthony Sampieri showed ‘callous disregard’ for the victim who he punched in the face before dragging her into a toilet cubicle at knifepoint in November 2018.

He wrapped a cord around her neck then raped her for 40 minutes while filming his attack before he was tackled by a mechanic and knocked out by a dentist. 

At the time of the rape, Sampieri was on parole having been released from jail for raping a 60-year-old woman at her home Wollongong in 2012. 

During his sentencing today, where families were heard sobbing, the court heard Sampieri was held down by mechanic Nicola Gilio and was covered in blood when police arrived.

The rapist then told officers: ‘I was shooting up and he’s come in, beat me up and stolen my meth’. 

In the months before the shocking attack he made around 100 sexually explicit calls to various women including a 71-year-old community choir treasurer, a chaplain and 20 real estate agents.

Police believe the calls were not properly investigated. Senior Constable Andrew Bruce, 32, has pleaded not guilty to neglecting his duties and will face court in April.

His is suspended on full pay and denies any wrongdoing.

Sampieri in June last year pleaded guilty to 10 charges related to the dance hall attack including three counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10.

He also admitted to charges related to sexually explicit and harassing phone calls he made to women in the months before.

The rapist was supposed to be jailed in December but his sentencing was delayed because he was diagnosed with fatal liver cancer and needed treatment.

In a previous court appearance, Sampieri admitted he had repeatedly injected ice in nearby public toilets before the attack.

He said he was in such a state of sexual excitement by the time he was in the dance studio facilities, he would have attacked anyone who had walked in.

Last week Sampieri – dubbed the ‘monster of Kogarah’ – was heckled by members of the public as he entered a packed court room.

‘There he is, the little piece of s**t,’ one person said.

The notorious child rapist tormented her for 40 minutes in a Sydney dance studio bathroom (pictured)

The notorious child rapist tormented her for 40 minutes in a Sydney dance studio bathroom (pictured)

Sampieri then took the stand, where told the court he was ‘so sorry’ for what he did.

‘I’ve had a while to think about this…I feel really, really bad for what I’ve done,’ he said.

‘Using crystal meth, I believe that led me to what I did. I’m sorry I let you down by using crystal meth.’

The court was told Sampieri would use ice in public toilets and masturbate as he did not want to do it at his mother’s home. 

He had notes around his house saying ‘don’t watch hardcore pornography’ and ‘don’t do drugs’, the court was told.

He said ice use and deviant behaviour went ‘hand-in-hand’. 

Court documents state the girl had just finished her jazz ballet class when she was attacked by Sampieri. 

The girl had been waiting with her mother in the carpark for her sister’s class to finish when she returned to the hall to use the bathroom.  

As she entered the female bathroom she was confronted by Sampieri, who had been in the bathroom watching porn for the past hour. 

Sampieri admitted the rape and seven other offences during the attack. Pictured: The scene

Sampieri admitted the rape and seven other offences during the attack. Pictured: The scene

He grabbed her and pushed her into a cubicle but she resisted.  

He then punched the seven-year-old in the face before locking the door.

Sampieri threatened her with a knife, tied a cord around her neck and dragged her to the male toilets.

‘She felt like she could not breathe,’ agreed facts state.

Maintaining a grip of the cord, he then subjected her to sexual acts before stuffing toilet paper into her mouth, binding her hands and leaving the bathroom.

Diesel mechanic Nick Gilio was with the girl’s mother when they noticed someone standing in a cubicle in men’s toilet during their frantic search. 

Sampieri walked out of the bathroom and was asked if he’d seen the girl. 

After telling them he hadn’t, the girl’s mother went into the bathroom to investigate. She was then followed by both men.

Her horrified screams echoed through the building as she was reunited with her daughter. 

Mr Gilio grabbed Sampieri, slamming his head into the wall.

After grappling with Sampieri, Mr Gilio suffered large cuts but put the rapist in a headlock before dentist Jeffrey Stack ran in and knocked out Sampieri. 

Dance teacher and local dentist, Jeffrey Stack rushed to the bathroom after hearing the screams. 

He found Sampieri attempting to free himself from the headlock by biting Mr Gilio. 

Mr Stack then punched Sampieri hard in the face, knocking him out. 

Hero diesel mechanic Nicola Gilio (pictured on a stretcher) found the girl and fought Sampieri in the bathroom, suffering several cuts in the melee

Hero diesel mechanic Nicola Gilio (pictured on a stretcher) found the girl and fought Sampieri in the bathroom, suffering several cuts in the melee  

Mr Gilio told the District Court in November he still had flashbacks of the attack and had become pessimistic about the world due to Sampieri’s actions.

The rapist later told police he’d been ‘so high’ before the attack as a result of using methamphetamine earlier that day.

Police later uncovered the calls he’d been making to women from August 2018.

A chaplain, a 71-year-old community choir treasurer, an 18-year-old ice creamery worker and 20 real estate agents were among the 91 victims of Sampieri’s sexually explicit cold-calls. 

Sampieri pleaded guilty to 10 charges related to the attack including three charges of sexual intercourse with a child under 10, which each carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

He also pleaded guilty to seven charges related to sexually explicit and harassing phone calls he made to women in the months before the dance studio attack.

Sampieri was due to be sentenced in December last year, but it was pushed back after he was diagnosed with cancer.  

He told the court last week he does not believe his advanced liver cancer can be cured. 

THE MONSTER OF KOGARAH: HOW A LITTLE GIRL’S NIGHTMARE UNFOLDED 

November 15, 2018:

Anthony Sampieri, 55, goes to a dance studio bathroom in Kogarah to take meth and watch porn on his phone.

6.48pm: A seven-year-old, wearing a black, silver and grey dance outfit, waits with her mother in the carpark for her sister’s dance class to finish. 

She walks back to the hall to use the bathroom when she is confronted by Sampieri.

Sampieri grabs her but she tries to resist.

He punches her in the face before dragging her into a cubicle and locking the door. 

The girl then has a black cord tied around her neck and is threatened with a knife. 

He drags her to the male bathroom where he sexually assaults her.

7.30pm: A desperate search begins after the girl fails to return to her mother. 

The victim’s mother and another parent, Nick Gilio, find Sampieri lurking in the bathroom before discovering the girl is also trapped inside. 

A fight breaks out between Sampieri and Mr Gilio.

Mr Gilio suffers a serious cut to his stomach but manages to get Sampieri in a headlock. 

He suffers more cuts to his wrist, neck and ear. Despite suffering serious injuries, Mr Gilio holds Sampieri in the headlock on the ground. 

Sampieri is attempting to bite Mr Gilio when dance teacher Jeffrey Stack bursts into the room and punches Sampieri in the face.

7.56pm: Police arrive to find Sampieri naked from the waist down and covered in blood.

The victim is taken to Randwick Children’s Hospital.

 

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