A Gold Coast husband and wife will spend significantly longer behind bars after Queensland’s Court of Appeal increased their prison sentences over the rape of a 15-year-old girl, ruling that the original penalties failed to properly reflect the seriousness of the offending.

Christopher Luke Hili and Lee Kathleen Hili were convicted by a Supreme Court jury following a five-day trial in 2024 of two counts of rape, exposing a child to an indecent act and exposing a child to an adult film.

The offences stemmed from an incident at the couple’s Gold Coast home after they invited two 15-year-old girls to a gathering where alcohol and cannabis were supplied. According to evidence accepted by the jury, the teenagers were offered alcoholic drinks, including a “dirty banana” cocktail and blueberry Cruisers, before smoking cannabis with Christopher Hili.

The complainant told the court she became heavily intoxicated, struggled to remain steady on her feet and eventually lost consciousness.

She later awoke to find Christopher Hili sexually assaulting her before losing consciousness again. When she regained awareness a second time, she found Lee Hili sexually assaulting her while an adult pornographic film was playing in the bedroom.

The victim told the jury she cried, panicked and attempted to move away as she realised what was happening.

Justice Thomas Bradley described the offending as deliberate, calculated and predatory, finding the couple had acted together to exploit a highly vulnerable child whose ability to consent had been destroyed by intoxication.

In his judgment, Justice Bradley said the pair deliberately overwhelmed the teenager before continuing the assault despite her distress and confusion. The offending only ceased after the girl regained consciousness again and physically moved away from the couple.

The original sentences imposed by the Supreme Court were seven years’ imprisonment for Christopher Hili and six years for Lee Hili, with parole eligibility dates that attracted criticism from the Queensland Government.

Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington subsequently directed that the sentences be appealed on the basis they were manifestly inadequate and failed to meet community expectations for crimes of such gravity.

The Court of Appeal agreed.

In a unanimous decision, the appellate court dismissed separate appeals by Christopher and Lee Hili against their convictions while allowing the Attorney-General’s appeal against sentence.

Christopher Hili’s prison term was increased from seven years to eight years’ imprisonment, with his parole eligibility pushed back until April 2028.

Lee Hili’s sentence was also increased, rising from six years to seven years’ imprisonment, with parole eligibility extended until April 2027.

The Court of Appeal found that the original sentencing judge had not adequately reflected the seriousness of the offending, particularly given the complainant’s age, vulnerability and inability to protect herself after consuming alcohol and cannabis.

The judges also noted the coordinated nature of the offending, describing the conduct as involving both offenders acting together throughout the sexual assaults.

Evidence presented during the trial established that the teenagers had accepted an invitation to attend the couple’s property in December 2021.

The court heard the girls consumed alcohol before smoking cannabis supplied by Christopher Hili. One of the girls became ill, while the complainant was eventually taken downstairs to what she believed was the room where her friend was staying.

Instead, she was taken into the couple’s bedroom.

The complainant later recalled only fragments of the events because of her intoxication but gave evidence that she awoke naked while being sexually assaulted before blacking out again. The jury accepted her evidence after hearing several days of testimony during the Supreme Court trial.

Throughout the proceedings, Christopher and Lee Hili denied the allegations and challenged the jury’s verdicts on appeal.

However, the Court of Appeal rejected those challenges, concluding there was no basis to disturb the convictions returned after the five-day trial.

Under Queensland’s criminal justice system, the Attorney-General may appeal a sentence considered manifestly inadequate, although such appeals are relatively uncommon and succeed only where the appellate court identifies legal error or concludes the sentence falls outside the appropriate range. The Court of Appeal has authority to increase or reduce a sentence after reviewing the original decision.

The Hili case became one of several high-profile sentence appeals pursued by the Queensland Government as it sought tougher penalties for serious violent and sexual offending. The Attorney-General argued the original punishments did not properly reflect the gravity of crimes committed against vulnerable victims, particularly children.

Justice Bradley’s original sentencing remarks highlighted that the victim’s intoxication, youth and vulnerability significantly aggravated the offending. He concluded the couple had knowingly taken advantage of a child who was incapable of protecting herself.

The appellate court ultimately agreed that stronger punishment was necessary to properly recognise the seriousness of the offences, denounce the conduct and protect the community from similar offending in the future.

With both the conviction appeals dismissed and the Attorney-General’s appeal upheld, Christopher Luke Hili and Lee Kathleen Hili will now serve substantially longer prison terms than originally ordered.