A Queensland man who once promoted himself as a therapist and life coach has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for the rape and sexual abuse of children.
Wolfgang Raven Wildgrace, known for claiming he helped people “manage their emotions effectively,” gained attention for his involvement in a controversial 2018 Adelaide Crows AFL pre-season camp that was criticized as psychologically damaging, particularly to Indigenous players.
However, years earlier, Wildgrace was abusing his position to psychologically manipulate and sexually abuse two children.
On Tuesday, the 59-year-old was sentenced in the Cairns District Court to nine-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty to numerous charges, including two counts of rape, two counts of ongoing sexual abuse of a child, and over 30 counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16.
The offences occurred over an eight-year span from late 2009 to 2017. The court heard that the abuse became a near-weekly occurrence and that Wildgrace convinced the children the abuse was part of “sexual training.”
His former partner, 52-year-old Sonya Maria Lindley-Jones, also pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12. Her charges stem from an incident where she and Wildgrace engaged in a sex act in front of children.
Although police were initially alerted in 2015, the victims did not disclose the abuse at that time. It wasn’t until early 2024, after learning a report would be made, that Wildgrace confessed the abuse to a friend. He and Lindley-Jones then fled their home in southeast Queensland, abandoning their bank accounts, but were located and arrested in Kuranda in March 2024.
In court, victims directly addressed the pair, expressing the psychological trauma caused by what they described as “twisted therapy.”
“You knew I had no one to protect me,” one victim said to Wildgrace. Another said the experience had destroyed her ability to trust healthcare professionals, adding, “I hope an unrelenting spotlight follows him for the rest of his days.”
Wildgrace’s lawyer, Aaron Dunkerton, said his client was remorseful and suffered from childhood trauma, PTSD, and substance abuse that distorted his reality. Lindley-Jones’s lawyer said she, too, was remorseful and had been manipulated by Wildgrace.
Neither had prior criminal records.
Judge Anthony Rafter SC described the offences as severe and a significant violation of trust. Wildgrace will be eligible for parole in 2028.
Lindley-Jones received a two-and-a-half-year sentence, but having served 14 months, the rest is suspended. She will remain under probation for three years following her release.
