Wendy's supervisor who sexually assaulted co-workers sentenced to 2 years in prison

A Wendy's supervisor who sexually assaulted his teenaged co-workers at a Sydney restaurant will now spend two years behind bars.

David Lennard MacDonald, 25, said nothing as he was led away by court sheriffs after a provincial court appearance on Friday.

The Sydney man's two-year prison term is double what was recommended by both the Crown and defence.

Judge Dan MacRury said a tougher punishment was necessary given the facts of the case.

"He abused a position of trust against five different victims," said MacRury. "The duration of his offences were for over a year. The attacks by the accused were planned and deliberate in an area of the restaurant where there [were] no cameras or cell service."

The court heard the offences began in January 2018 and continued until May 2019.

MacDonald often followed his victims into areas of the restaurant where there were no cameras, such as the fridge or freezer, break room and a cubby where food trays are cleaned.

The five teens, whose names are banned from publication, worked overlapping shifts with MacDonald, who was a shift manager. 

They say MacDonald would put his hands on their breasts or buttocks while hugging them. The victims never consented to the hugs, and said MacDonald sometimes hugged without warning. 

In one instance, MacDonald told a victim he lost his employee card and joked that it might be down one of the girl's shirts. 

He then came up from behind and grabbed the victim's breasts outside of her shirt.

MacDonald was arrested in August 2020 following a police investigation.

One of the victims told police she reported MacDonald's behaviour to the restaurant's owner.

A pair of lawsuits filed by two of the victims allege that Wendy's in Sydney failed to protect them from repeated sexual assaults by continuing to employ and regularly schedule MacDonald to work with them and other female employees after the allegations against him had surfaced.