1 month ago
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January 23, 2026 — 3:12pm
An outback pub manager who raped a backpacker who worked for him and sexually assaulted a skimpy bartender has been sentenced to six years jail.
Stewart Patrick Burchell appeared in court for sentencing on Friday, after he was found guilty of nine charges of indecent assault and one count of rape against six female staff members following a trial last year.
He was acquitted on six other charges.
The incidents occurred between 2017 and 2023, with the women’s roles at the bar ranging from a skimpy barmaid, a bartender, a security officer and a manager.
Each woman said he indecently assaulted them at venues owned by the Roebuck Bay Hotel, or in staff accommodation.
The 51-year-old Burchell was a manager for seven years when detectives raided the pub in 2023 and arrested him.
Judge Belinda Lonsdale sentenced him to six years in prison.
He was also fined $1000 on each indecent assault count.
“As the manager of the Roebuck Bay Hotel you were in a significant position of power towards these women and some of these women were significantly younger than you,” she said.
“Your conduct overall amounted to persistent sexual harassment of women in your employment.
“It seems to me you have had a very hard fall from grace.”
Lonsdale said Burchell’s behaviour had humiliated and degraded some of the women, and he had violated their trust.
She said the women were placed in a difficult position due to his role at the hotel.
“It seems even in the 21st century women are still hesitant to speak up about harassment in the workplace… even when the offending against them amounts to criminal conduct,” she said.
Lonsdale said Burchell should seek help for an apparent alcohol addiction, and consider his role in the hospitality industry as unhealthy.
One of his victims was also granted a violence-restraining order.
He will be eligible for parole after four years.
During sentencing, Burchell’s defence lawyer said he had experienced a significant “fall from grace” after the court trial.
“Burchell was very much a community man,” she said.
“He was ‘Mr Broome’ - everyone knew him, everyone would go out of their way to be friends with him.”
She said he had been in and out of rehabilitation facilities in both the United States and the East Coast since the trial, and his marriage had subsequently broken down.
His lawyer also said the rape Burchell carried out against his employee was at the “lower end” as it was not “violent… and did not use any particular physicality”.
Judge Lonsdale agreed with the assessment, but disagreed when his lawyer suggested the women did not report a number of the assaults, and the offending appeared sporadic.
“Who would they report to? He was the general manager,” she said.
“There’s a cumulative effect of his behaviour over time.”
The state prosecution argued there was a power imbalance during the course of the offending due to Burchell’s role as their employer, and he was opportunistic and “brazen”.
The prosecution said Burchell had shown no remorse for his actions and character references from his supporters appeared as though they were not fully informed about the nature of his convictions.
His family members and representatives for the Roebuck Bay Hotel were present at the back of the court.
Burchell has previously indicated his intention to appeal the convictions.
