Fraser Coast uncle found guilty of maintaining sexual relationship with nephew

A dozen jurors have found a man guilty of sexually molesting his nephew about 30 years ago following a six-day trial. See what the judge had to say about the historical abuse.

A trial involving a historical child abuse matter has finished at Maryborough District Court.

After a six-day-trial in Maryborough District Court, a man has been sentenced to eight years jail for sexually abusing his young nephew about 30 years ago.

The 56-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty to maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child under 16 when the trial started on Tuesday, October 18.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on Tuesday, October 25.

The court was told the man sexually abused his young nephew on a number of occasions, between the mid 1980s to early 1990s.

Judge Michael Byrne KC described the man’s offending against his young nephew as “vile”.

He said he was unsurprised by the jury’s verdict and described the testimony of the victim and his brother as “convincing”.

During the sentencing, the court heard the man was aged between 18 and 25 when he sexually molested his nephew, who was 8 when the abuse started.

The offending involved manipulation and threats involving the victim’s younger brother, the court was told.

The court heard the victim was ashamed and embarrassed about what had occurred, but Judge Byrne said he hoped the verdict delivered by 12 strangers would help him overcome that.

“He had done nothing wrong,” Judge Byrne said.

Judge Byrne told the court one of the telling moments in the trial had been when the man made admissions to having access to pornography, which he had previously denied.

His nephew had told the court some of the abuse happened while the man watched pornography.

After a six day trial in Maryborough District Court, a man has been sentenced to eight years jail for sexually abusing his young nephew about 30 years ago. Photo: Valerie Horton.

The uncle, who was supported in court by a number of family members, had three children and a steady history of employment, the court was told.

He had not been convicted of sexual offending in the years since the abuse against his nephew had ceased.

The man had also experienced difficulties with alcohol, the court heard.

On the first day of the trial on Tuesday, October 18, the court was told of some of the incidents that occurred on a large property which had a shed that the family lived in for a period of time.

During that time, the boy’s uncle would visit the property and go motorbike riding with him, the court heard.

In his opening statement last Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Chris Cook said on one occasion when the man was alone with his nephew at the house, he took the boy to the shed and showed him pornography.

Mr Cook said the man made his nephew masturbate him while watching the pornography.

On another occasion, Mr Cook said the man took his nephew to the shed where he attempted to have sex with him.

The boy told his uncle to stop, and was able to grab his clothes and leave, Mr Cook said.

There were also occasions of other sexual acts including oral sex, the court was told.

Mr Cook said the “secret relationship” was something the boy carried with him for many years.

The victim first told his ex-wife about the alleged sexual abuse in the early 2000s, and then told his family in 2019, Mr Cook said.

The man was sentenced to eight years jail and a conviction was recorded.