Mackay father sexually abuses two daughters for four years

A monster father who subjected his young daughters to years of sexual abuse – even when they begged him to stop, wore jeans to bed to prevent him and took it in turns sleeping further from the door – has had his jail term was reduced.

A monster father who subjected his young daughters to years of sexual abuse, even when they begged him to stop, has been given a reduced penalty because he told his wife to phone the police over his vile conduct.

By the end of the offending the little girls had been wearing extra clothing to bed and taking turns sleeping the farthest away from the bedroom door to avoid being molested during his night-time visits.

Mackay District Court heard the girls told him “daddy, please stop” but he persisted with his daily abuse, which occurred over two separate time frames – 2013 to 2016 and 2019 to 2020 – when the girls were aged between four and 11.

During the first period, the Mackay father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was caught by his sister-in-law who saw him naked and performing oral sex on one of his daughters. He denied everything to his wife – no complaint was made to police.

Crown prosecutor Julie Aylward said in 2016 matters were referred to child safety, after one of the daughters complained to their mother, and police interviewed both girls.

The Mackay father pleaded guilty to four counts of maintaining a sexual relationship with his two daughters.

The court heard one sister said his offending included sexualised massages, oral sex, touching during shower time and digital penetration. He denied it and despite the detailed interview, he was not charged.

He had moved out of the family home but moved back in and began reoffending against the girls in 2019 – this involved sexual massages and because he no longer showered them, he would molest them as they slept instead.

Ms Aylward said one girl described digital penetration, while the other said he moved her body to avoid that occurring.

Ms Aylward said the offending came to light in June 2020 when he “volunteered to his wife that he had offended again … and had lied earlier when he denied the offending”.

“He said (to police) that he massaged them in a sexual way every day from when they were four,” Ms Aylward said.

Both girls said during the second period, their father would come into their room when they were asleep, remove their blankets and their clothing and manipulate their bodies to get access.

“They would pretend to be asleep,” Ms Aylward said.

“Because of what was happening, the girls started negotiating among themselves as to who would sleep on what side of the bed, hoping if they were furthest from the door he wouldn’t reach them.

“They started wearing jeans together and sometimes they wore two pairs of pants and two shirts to make it more difficult for him.

“But he continued to ‘sleepwalk’, he would say, into their room to offend.”

Ms Aylward said the man admitted his behaviour aroused him and told police his daughters would say “daddy, please stop”, but he never did.

Both girls are receiving ongoing counselling.

The Crown pushed for 10 years jail, reduced from 11 years for his co-operation, which would activate a serious violent offender declaration meaning he must serve at least 80 per cent of the term.

But Judge Julie Dick said that penalty did not give a benefit for his “extraordinary co-operation” with police.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan told the court the man had been sexually abused in his childhood by his violent father who forced him to have sex with his sister.

Mr McLennan also handed up a report on how victims of sexual abuse often become perpetrators.

“His life has been ruined by sexual abuse as well,” Mr McLennan said.

“The odd part is you‘d expect that would mean they wouldn’t do it to someone else,” Judge Dick said.

The man, 41, pleaded guilty to four counts of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child.

Judge Dick reduced the overall jail term to eight years but still ordered a serious violent offender declaration – so he will have to serve at least 6.4 years before he is eligible for parole.