Manipulative Riverland woman jailed for sexually abusing 14-year-old child

A woman who preyed on a child – resulting in him becoming a father at 15 – exploited him into giving her children so she could get welfare payments, a court has heard.

A male victim’s childhood was robbed by an older woman after she “stole” his life by subjecting him to years of manipulative sexual abuse.

The Riverland woman, 48, was jailed for more than five years for historic child sexual abuse, after she preyed on the young boy between 1999 and 2003.

The Adelaide District Court heard the woman, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of her victim, was a family friend of the man’s father and came to stay at their South-East farm.

The court heard the woman started a sexual relationship with the boy when he was only 14 years old and they had a child together when he was aged 15.

The court heard the woman had a second child with the “vulnerable” victim when he was aged 18.

In a victim impact statement read to the court earlier this month, the victim said the woman used his own child against him – making him spend time with her or he would not have access to his daughter.

The man said the woman had “exploited” him into giving her a second child so she could continue to receive government payments, without Centrelink making her look for another job, the court heard.

“She has stolen most of my life,” the man said. “I want to make a stand, to show not only my children, but all children, adults, everybody – this is not okay.

“You cannot tell a child that it will be fine if no one finds out and that it will be our little secret.”

A male victim of child sexual abuse has spoken up about how a woman twice his age ‘stole’ his life. Photo: istock.

The woman pleaded guilty to maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child.

“This was a predatory sexual relationship that has had a significant impact upon the life of the victim and his emotional wellbeing,” Judge Davison said.

“You exercised a considerable degree of control in that relationship.”

The court heard jail would have a “devastating impact” on the woman and her family, who had several children from different partners.

“You accept that you made a gross error of judgment in involving yourself with a child who was 14 years old, but, it was borne out of your low self-esteem at the time with your depression and alcohol abuse,” Judge Davison said.

Judge Davison sentenced the woman to five years and 11 months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and six months.

“You took advantage of a 14-year-old boy when you engaged in a long-term sexual relationship with him,” she said.

“You were more than 10 years older than him at that time.

“The relationship continued for many months and resulted in him becoming a father at a time long before he should have.”