Every day, criminal cases are heard in court. Defence counsel advocate for their clients, prosecutors present their case and judges weigh the evidence before them.

But on Thursday 9 July, Judge Ryan Haddrick did something different. 

He directed the entire courtroom to sit in silence for five minutes during the sentencing of a 35-year-old man, who had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

His decision to make every attendee sit in silence for that period of time came after defence barrister, Damien Gates, told the court "the penile intercourse lasted five minutes, not more than that, as he desisted," per The Courier Mail.

He said at that point his client realised he was doing something wrong and stopped. 

He called it "poor impulse control," the publication reported.

A 35-year-old man. A 14-year-old girl. 

So, Judge Haddrick decided to make the court sit in those five minutes. And think about how long five minutes really feels. 

"Sit down for a second, just sit down for a second," Judge Haddrick said, per The Courier Mail .

"In fact, sit down for five minutes, starting now," he said.

"The proposition I am putting through to you and through to your client, is that in five minutes engaging in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old, the penny should have dropped before it occurred.

"That's a long time to continue engaging in a sexual act while you know the wrongness of that conduct."

"We're not talking about sexual interaction that is seconds of complaint," he continued.

"We are talking about a sustained act that will do significant damage to this child over her forthcoming years.

"We live in an age where we have a very clear understanding now that we didn't in earlier times, of the pernicious nature of this sort of sexual offending that can stay in the mind and stay in the life story of a victim for years if not decades to come.

"It robs that child of their innocence, but also many things that they should be able to take for granted, like trust in men, and an understanding of what is sexually appropriate and not appropriate.

"The damage just rattles on through the ages, and that's all because of your immature, immoral and frankly selfish conduct on this occasion."

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, has pleaded guilty to a sex act with a child and was sentenced to 18 months behind bars, with a minimum of six served.

He will be eligible for parole in January. 

The judge's actions were praised by others, including child sexual abuse survivor advocate, actress Madeleine West. 

"The sitting judge, one Ryan Haddrick, who I think deserves a medal or a round of applause or an Order of Australia even, made his courtroom sit in silence for five minutes just to demonstrate how long five minutes actually lasts, how long five minutes actually feels," she said in an online video. 

"Finally a judge here in Australia that is willing to call out this crime for what it is and what it looks like."

She captioned the post: "Let's give Judge Haddrick a medal! Is the tide finally turning?"

If you or anyone you know needs expert help, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) — the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.

Featured image: Instagram/Madeleine West.