Perth father Adam Lusk found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting women he met online

Trigger warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault

A Perth father has been found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting several women, including three teenagers.

Adam Lusk, 45, remained stony-faced as the jury returned its verdict on Thursday.

During the five-week trial, the District Court heard the civil engineer used the internet to trap his victims.

Between April 2020 and January 2022, he invited 12 women on dates or to his Ascot house where he assaulted them.

Two of the victims were 17-year-old school friends and one was a 16-year-old girl.

Lusk was acquitted of indecently assaulting a fourth teenager.

Lusk met the women online, using the websites Sugar Daddy Meet, Snapchat or Tinder.

Nine women were recorded, including one who can be heard pleading, “no”, “stop” and “please, show mercy”.

Ten of the victims were drugged with ketamine, Xanax or clonazepam, which the offender bought through the encrypted messaging service Telegram.

The women were barely conscious and had no idea they were being recorded until police knocked on their door.

Fly-in, fly-out worker Lusk pleaded not guilty to a total of 100 counts, claiming the women were consenting and were either “lazy” or “roleplaying” being unconscious.

The father-of-two was convicted of 97 counts, including 85 of counts of sexual penetration without consent and 12 counts of stupefying in order to commit an indictable offence.

Lusk faces up to 14 years in prison for each sexual assault.

He will return to court on December 20, 2024.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.

In an emergency, call 000.

Advice and counselling for men concerned about their use of family violence: Men’s Referral Service, 1300 766 491.