South-East man who used KFC treats to bribe his stepdaughter to commit vile child sex crimes finally convicted

A man who conditioned his stepdaughter to think exchanging sexual favours for KFC “treats” was “something you do” will have a nervous wait while a judge determines his fate.

A South-East man who sexually abused his stepdaughter countless times, conditioning her to exchange sexual favours for “treats” — fears he could die in prison after being found guilty of the vile abuse.

After two juries were unable to reach a verdict — a third attempt by the prosecution saw the jury deliberate for less than an hour before delivering their verdict.

The 59-year-old South-East man has not been identified to protect the identity of his victim.

During the trial prosecutor James Pearce told the Mount Gambier District Court the allegations came to light after the memories of the abuse came rushing back when a man had tried to kiss the victim.

The witness, who cannot be named, told the court the victim came through her door like a “whirlwind” that night.

After two juries were unable to deliver a verdict, a third has convicted a former South-East man of sexually abusing his stepdaughter for just under a decade. Picture: Arj Ganesan

“I saw the text message and almost straight away there was frantic knocking at the door,” they said.

“She was crying, she was going from foot to foot really anxious.

“She kept saying she wanted her mum.”

After divulging the abuse the pair made their way to another friend’s house — before filing a police report.

During Mr Pearces’ opening address, the court heard the man allegedly gave her “treats” like KFC Crusher thick shake in exchange for sexual favours.

Mr Pearce told the jury the abuse became a “way of life” to the victim.

“She thought, in her words, ‘it was something you do to receive things you asked for’,” he said.

The court heard the man made his victim “pinky promise” not to tell anyone and over the years the defendant would gift the girl with dogs if she would “play down there”.

“She was a little girl, she wanted a puppy, but she was going to have to earn it,” Mr Pearce said.

According to court documents, the alleged offending occurred between May 2006 and May 2015 and was seven or eight at the time of the offending.

The man was found guilty of one count of maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child.

During her final year of schooling the victim, while caring for her dying mum, would go into such severe states of shock an ambulance would have to be called to her school, the court heard.

Despite the stresses of her mother laying on her deathbed and the constant sexual abuse from her stepdad Mr Pearce said the victim “couldn't tell anyone the reason”.

The man’s defence lawyer Matthew Mead asked Judge Gordon Barrett if his client could be released on continuing bail to seek medical treatment for his stage four cancer.

It is not yet known if the man will lodge an appeal. However, outside of court, he did admit that he feared he would die in prison.

Judge Barrett allowed the man to be released on bail to get his affairs in order and will front court later this month.