Michael Rigo leaves court in 2023 after being charged with the historical indecent assaults. Photo: Albert McKnight.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to child abuse.
The abuse a former AFL umpire inflicted on a teenage boy he was supposed to be mentoring still impacts the victim-survivor, a court has heard.
Michael Rigo was aged between 30 and 32 when he abused the boy, then aged 16 and 17, over an 18-month period in the 1980s.
The court heard the senior AFL umpire was driving home when he saw the teen, then a junior umpire, beside the road with a flat tyre on his bike. Rigo stopped and offered the boy a lift in his car.
During the drive, he offered to help the teen with his umpiring. Rigo went on to spend time with the boy, advised him on umpiring and became friendly with his parents.
But the teenager was scared of Rigo and thought he was a police officer because he believed he had seen a police badge in his car.
Rigo first abused the teen when he took him back to his home, put on a soft pornography movie and touched his genitals.
On two other occasions, Rigo groped and sexually touched the teenager in his car and again abused him at his home.
He twice warned the teenager not to tell anyone what happened between them.
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The victim-survivor eventually told his partner and parents about the abuse, then went to police in 2023.
Police confirmed Rigo hadn’t worked for the police force. After officers spoke to him, an intercepted phone call recorded Rigo telling another person he was in “a lot of trouble”.
Rigo, who was granted bail after he was arrested in 2023, pleaded guilty to four counts of committing an act of indecency before the now-70-year-old was sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday (29 May).
Michael Rigo pleaded guilty to four charges of committing an act of indecency. Photo: Albert McKnight.
Lawyers agreed a sentence of imprisonment was appropriate. But prosecutors argued for it to be spent behind bars while his defence asked for it to be served in the community.
Acting Justice Rebecca Christensen SC said the victim-survivor was vulnerable due to his age and Rigo exploited the relationship of trust he had developed with the teen and his parents.
She said he was “fully aware of the wrongfulness of his conduct”.
Acting Justice Christensen said the victim-survivor told the court he had experienced depression, anxiety and anger issues since he was a teenager, his relationships had failed due to his trust issues and Rigo had made him lose interest in umpiring.
The victim-survivor said he suppressed the offences for a long time and was still affected to this day.
Rigo has worked as a lifeguard and run a private investigation business then stopped working as a paramedic after he was charged.
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When asked to explain his motivations for a court report, Rigo said at the time of the offences and until he was charged, he did not believe he was harming his victim.
He since wrote a letter to the court in which he expressed his deep remorse and regret for the harm caused.
Acting Justice Christensen accepted Rigo had made progress with his insight, there was a low prospect of further offending and his rehabilitation had essentially been achieved.
But she said there was “gravity” to his offences that warranted full-time jail and the historical nature of his abuse was “meaningless” in terms of the impact on the victim.
He was convicted and sentenced to two years’ jail, which will be suspended after four months for him to enter a good behaviour order until May 2027.
Rigo will be released from custody in September 2025.
If this story has raised concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732 or by visiting www.1800respect.org.au. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 02 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT 02 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 02 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call Triple Zero.
