Source : Perth Now news
A Mandurah restaurant owned by a serial pervert who showed pictures of his penis to an 11-year-old girl has closed after outrage from the community over his vile behaviour.
Kenneth May, who has owned Silk Thai on Mandurah Terrace for 14 years, repeatedly showed explicit images to young females between January 2023 and August 2024.
May was convicted earlier this month of two counts of doing an indecent act in public, after initial 2024 charges including possession of child exploitation material and indecently dealing with a child aged between 13 and 16, among others, were downgraded.
May pleaded guilty to the lesser charges just weeks before he was scheduled to go to trial.
After details of the court case were published in the Mandurah Times on April 5, concerned community members began protesting outside May’s Mandurah Terrace restaurant.
We don’t want people like that in close proximity to family areas.
Organiser Elizabeth Oxley said the demonstration was not about anger but about protection, awareness, and drawing a line as a community.
“We protested because our children deserve to feel safe. Silence helps no one, and we have a responsibility to speak up when something isn’t right,” Ms Oxley said.
“I couldn’t imagine the trauma at 11 and 15… If I saw those photos at that age, I would have been terrified.
“We’re here to show the children that we’re here for them, but we’re also here to show the others (predators) that we’re awake, we’re alert, and we’re watching. We want them to be afraid.”
Protester Michael Klyne said the restaurant’s proximity to the eastern foreshore playground made him uncomfortable.
“I don’t think he (May) should be anywhere near children’s facilities,” Mr Klyne said.
“Our children are our priority. We don’t want people like that in close proximity to family areas.”
At the time of the first offence, May was discussing puberty with an 11-year-old victim at the restaurant.
He took the opportunity to show the girl a picture of himself standing in front of a mirror naked.
On the other occasion, May was sitting at his desk at his restaurant, and a 13-year-old victim was in the bar area when he showed the girl a picture of a penis and laughed.
On Monday, a notice appeared on Google that the Thai restaurant had permanently closed.
A message to diners was also posted on Silk Thai’s website and Facebook page, thanking ‘valued guests’ for 14 years of support.
“It has been a privilege to share our passion for Thai food, hospitality, and community with you. Your loyalty and encouragement have meant the world to us,” the message read.
“A special thank you to those guests who continued to support us over the past 18 months.
“Your belief in us during challenging times has not gone unnoticed, and we are truly grateful.”
May was banned from working at his restaurant following the initial charges in 2024, but was allowed to return to work alongside his Thai-born wife last month.
He immigrated to Australia from New Zealand, where he’d spent time in prison in 2007, for similar offending.
Judge Craig Astill sentenced May to a 12-month community-based order with program and supervision requirements, pointing out that having been in prison before should be a significant incentive for the restaurateur to take part in rehabilitation.
“I want to make clear this needs to be at the top of your list of priorities to deal with whatever issues are underlying this behaviour because I do share the State’s concern that if you don’t, then there is a risk of causing harm to other members of the community, whoever they might be,” Judge Astill said during sentencing at Perth’s district court.
“In relation to what some of this evidence might suggest, it does suggest to me that you have a very inappropriate attitude when you are dealing with children and what might be the appropriate boundaries of behaviour, because it would be few people who would consider it to be an appropriate thing to be showing a 13-year-old child a penis, whatever the circumstances might be.
“But I accept it wasn’t something that was sexually motivated, or what’s referred to obviously often as grooming behaviour, but it was certainly inappropriate.”
During sentencing, Judge Astill also added that the pictures would have made the victims “uncomfortable”.
“There was an element of persistence, notwithstanding her discomfort, and perhaps as an 11-year-old girl, she didn’t know how to really vocalise that discomfort or how uncomfortable she was feeling about what you were doing,” Judge Astill said.
“She has then tried, as an 11-year-old would, to disassociate herself from it, but you have persisted by trying to show it to her.
“The fact that she was an 11-year-old that you were showing this picture that showed your penis, your stomach, your legs, it clearly would have made her uncomfortable.”
The Mandurah Times has contacted the owners of Silk Thai for comment.
