Ipswich man sentenced after two-year sex abuse ordeal for daughter, 8

For two long years, a young Ipswich girl was subjected to horrific sexual abuse at the hands of a person who should have been protecting her – her father. WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT

After subjecting his young daughter to “protracted” and “appalling” sexual abuse over a two-year period, an Ipswich father will next year be eligible for parole.

The man, who is in his 30s and cannot be named in order to protect the identity of his victim, appeared in the Ipswich District Court on Monday, April 4.

He pleaded guilty to 22 charges, including one count of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child, 10 counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12 years, nine counts of rape, and two counts of attempted rape.

The court heard he had been in presentence custody for about one year and two months.

Crown prosecutor Melissa Wilson told the court the man had offended against his daughter while she was aged eight—10 years old, at weekends and during school holidays when he had custody of her.

He routinely subjected her to horrific sexual abuse; forcing her to masturbate him, exposing her to indecent videos, raping her, attempting to rape her, and requesting to make pornographic videos with her.

“The complainant, when she participated in her interviews with police, said that the defendant would sometimes record the sexual abuse,” Ms Wilson said.

“She was able to detail about 40 videos in total.”

Ms Wilson said the man was 28 years old, and his daughter was only eight, when he began subjecting her to the “extremely abusive” and “gross” sexual abuse.

“The defendant took advantage of her. He was in a position of trust, a position which he exploited,” she said.

The young girl said the years of sexual abuse at the hands of her father had had significant effects on her, both physically and psychologically, and on her relationship with her family.

As a result of the abuse, the young girl was said to have suffered physically and psychologically and was having trouble sleeping and trusting others.

She noted in her victim impact statement that members of her family had rejected her and protected her father. She said she self-harmed and had been diagnosed with depression.

The man’s counsel Stephen Kissick said his client had been in custody through a particularly difficult time due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, having dealt with restrictions, no face-to-face visits, and lockdowns.

Mr Kissick did note however the man had been in regular contact with both of his parents via phone calls. He said he had their support.

The court heard the man was eager to enrol and participate in a treatment program for sex offenders.

Judge Dennis Lynch said he had taken into account the man’s pleas of guilty, the “appalling” sexual abuse he had inflicted on his daughter, and the long-lasting effects the abuse had and would continue to have on her.

“This was protracted offending of a very gross kind,” Mr Lynch told the man.

“You undertook an appalling betrayal of your position of trust as a parent.

“Your obligation and responsibility as a parent was to protect your daughter, however she was vulnerable being in your care and you used your position, exploited her vulnerability, for your own selfish sexual gratification.”

Mr Lynch sentenced the man to a total of eight years’ imprisonment, with parole eligibility from September 27 next year.

He declared all 431 days he had spent in presentence custody from January 28 last year to Monday as time served.