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Calls for royal commission into air force sexual assaults

The mother of a teenage air force cadet who was one of the three victims of sexual assault by her instructor wants a royal commission into the Defence department.

The RAAF instructor will be sentenced later, but there are still plenty of questions over how the Defence department first dealt with the allegations.

Christopher Robert Adams was once a highly regarded RAAF instructor, but broke that trust when he groomed and assaulted three teenage girls under his care.

Christopher Robert Adams pleaded guilty to sexual intercouse with three girls aged 16 and 17. Photo: 7 News
Christopher Robert Adams pleaded guilty to sexual intercouse with three girls aged 16 and 17. Photo: 7 News

“It’s an authority so big it’s like taking on Ben Hur,” said one victim’s mother.

The mother of one victims knew something was not right when she discovered inappropriate Facebook messages to her daughter.

“It was a gut instinct that these questions and probing and discussions just didn’t sit right,” she said.

Court documents reveal Adams continued assaulting the teen despite warnings from her mother to stay away.

Last month he pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual intercourse with three girls aged 16 and 17.

He groomed them via social media and text message.

“They’re gutted – they’re distraught,” said a victim’s mother.

Adams used social media and text messages to groom his victims. Photo: 7 News
Adams used social media and text messages to groom his victims. Photo: 7 News

"It’s something you just can’t wipe from your memory at all.”

Adams asked one victim to send naked photos and, under the guise of being a maths tutor, sexually assaulted her in her own home.

Adams superiors were oblivious to his crimes despite them happening on a Royal Australian Air Force base at Wagga Wagga.

His arrest only came when police tapped his phone and heard a conversation between him and a victim.

Defence has responded saying Adams is “currently suspended from his normal permanent air force duties”.

“Defence is reviewing his continued service.”

Adams is due to be sentenced in December.

Morning news break - October 5