Disgraced NBL star’s horrific sexual assaults
A disgraced former basketball star and convicted rapist “hasn’t learned his lesson” despite a sexual criminal history stretching across two continents and back almost 50 years, a court has been told.
Kendal Pinder, 67, was on Thursday jailed for at least five years after admitting to two rapes of a woman, committed over a decade apart, including one that left his victim with life-threatening injuries.
Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court on Thursday was told the harrowing details of Pinder’s forceful sexual assault of the woman in 2009 and 12 years later in 2021.
The 2m tall giant, who during his playing days was known as “Tiny”, sat in a room inside prison and appeared before the court via videolink wearing thick glasses and a green prison-issued uniform as he waited to learn his fate.
The Bahamian former professional basketball player last year pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault and one count of sexual intercourse without consent.
The court was told the first offence happened in November 2009 and left the woman with serious and life-threatening injuries.
The court was told that the woman pushed him away and was crawling away when Pinder grabbed her by the ankles and dragged her back onto the bed and forcefully flipped her over.
The details of the sexual assault are too graphic and disturbing to publish.
The victim had to undergo surgery and suffered a massive blood loss.
The second offence occurred in March 2021 when the victim woke to find the former Perth Wildcats player on top of her.
His later sexual assault of the woman was described by the Crown prosecution as “highly degrading”.
Pinder’s professional basketball career began in 1979 when he was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks; however, he did not play in the NBA and spent several years with the Harlem Globetrotters.
He arrived in Australia with the now defunct Sydney Supersonics in 1985 and is best remembered for his stint with the Perth Wildcats during which he was part of their 1990 and 1991 championship teams.
Pinder’s criminal history stretches back to Miami in 1976 when he was convicted of unlawful carnal knowledge of a teenage girl.
He was sensationally handcuffed by police in the Perth Wildcats’ dressing room at halftime during a 1990 NBL final.
He was convicted and jailed for several sexual-related offences, including the sexual assault of a 23-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl between 1988 and 1990 when he was playing for the Wildcats.
He moved to NSW post-release and in 2021 he was jailed for 15 months for a stalk and intimidation offence after he ordered a young woman to get into his car outside Rockdale train station.
His barrister Anita Betts told the court that Pinder had expressed remorse and following the first sexual assault drove the victim to hospital.
In a letter to the court Pinder wrote: “I understand and see the need for proper consent now and I will never make that mistake again.”
Ms Betts pointed to his expressions of “remorse and shame” and having stated “I take full responsibility for my actions”.
However, Crown prosecutor Daniel Waldmann said any expression of remorse should be rejected, pointing out that Pinder had been tried and convicted for sexual offences “many times”.
He described his expression of contrition as a “cynical attempt” to “minimise his moral culpability”, pointing out that the second sexual assault and the stalking offence, relating to the young girl at the train station, occurred within months.
“Age is not diminishing the offender’s propensity to offend and offend in highly concerning matters,” Mr Waldmann said.
Judge Andrew Scotting noted that Pinder had a number of convictions for similar offences that needed to be taken into account for the community’s protection.
Ms Betts also argued that Pinder suffered from a cognitive impairment, though the Crown prosecution pointed out he had run a sporting goods business and completed a university degree.
The court heard his visa was also set to be cancelled.
Judge Scotting on Thursday afternoon sentenced Pinder to eight years in prison, with a five-year non-parole period.
With time served, he will be eligible for release in October 2026.