The incident happened on December 8 2018, when Free lured the girl from Kmart North Lakes shopping centre in North Brisbane where she was shopping with her mum. He told the girl: 'Follow me.'
The installation fitter then drove her in his car to bushland where he sexually assaulted her. She was then driven back to North Lakes where he dropped her off near a car wash. Her mum later noticed a scratch mark on her girl's back and reported the offence.
Sterling Free will be sentenced on October 8.