Youth worker jailed for sex assault on gay teen who came to him for help Brett McDonnell. A FORMER youth worker with one of Melbourne's most respected care organisations has been jailed for sexually assaulting a gay teen who came to him for help. Brett McDonnell, 42, was remanded in custody today after a County Court jury delivered guilty verdicts on all seven charges he was facing over the assault of the teenager between 2000 and 2002. McDonnell resigned from his position after allegations were aired by his victim's mother in 2003 but later went on to become a manager with Melbourne City Mission. The group works with some of the state's most vulnerable individuals, families and communities. It is not known why the allegations were not reported to police by McDonnell's former employer at the time. McDonnell was found guilty of four counts of performing an indecent act with or on a child and two counts of sexual penetration of a child. During a three-week trial the County Court heard Mr McDonnell started assaulting his teenage victim after the boy's mother asked him to speak to her son, who had come out as gay and was struggling with his sexuality. The abuse started shortly after the pair first met in 2000 and happened in and around Melbourne, at the victim's home while his parents were there, and on holiday. The court heard the victim formed a close bond with McDonnell, who was 29 at the time and would allegedly sometimes pick him up from school or let him stay at his home. It was alleged the victim had stayed at McDonnell's Bayswater home, and it was there he first assaulted him after telling him how "skinny and beautiful" he was. On other occasions McDonnell had drunk alcohol with the youth, tried to kiss him, fondled him and masturbated in front of him, it was alleged. The court heard he had also forced him to take part in lewd sex acts. McDonnell vigorously denied the allegations. Defence counsel Julie Sutherland called into question the reliability and credibility of the victim. The court heard the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, first made the allegations of abuse in 2003 but did not go to police. Outside court, Melbourne City Mission chief executive officer Ric Holland said the organisation condemned child sex abuse and recognised the long-term impact it could have on victims. Mr Brett McDonnell left Melbourne City Mission in April 2012. The allegations related to a period 2000-2002, three years before he became employed by MCM and charges were laid after he had left our employment," Mr Holland said. Melbourne City Mission holds its clients' safety in the highest regard and a number of safeguards and ongoing processes are in place to protect them. For example, employment at Melbourne City Mission is conditional upon satisfactory 'Working with Children' and police checks which are conducted independently. Once employed, staff are subject to professional supervision, reviews, and we receive client feedback. If Melbourne City Mission ever had any indication of safety being compromised, it would act swiftly, in the interests of protecting Victoria's most vulnerable people, our clients. The matter was adjourned for plea hearing on December 5.