Central Queensland mine worker jailed over raping stepdaughter

A Queensland rapist said he would “be the best stepfather” before committing horrible crimes against the ‘impressionable and vulnerable’ teen in her own bed.

File photo.

A Central Queensland mine worker has learned his fate after raping his “impressionable and vulnerable” stepdaughter in her own bed.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, fronted the Rockhampton District Court last week, representing himself.

Crown prosecutor Arielle Spiteri said the offending against the teenager took place over a number of hours on one night, first entering and laying beside her, telling her he “would be the best stepfather” and that he “loved her like a daughter” before he carried out his offending.

The court heard the man left the room twice and returned to digitally rape the girl twice during the night.

The victim clenched her jaw and kicked him as he carried out the offences.

Ms Spiteri said the man on stopped when he heard a noise outside her bedroom.

She said the victim told family members about the offending and her mother confronted the defendant who claimed he could not recall what happened.

Judge Jeff Clarke, after asking the self-represented man many questions, said he accepted the mine worker was genuinely remorseful and had no explanation for doing what his did to the girl.

The man had told the court he had returned home the day before after working a week of 12-hour shifts and had drunk alcohol and smoked marijuana.

He claimed he was “heavily fatigued” from work and had not slept before consuming alcohol and marijuana.

Judge Jeff Clarke said the victim, in her impact statement, says “she was physically exhausted and tired over the course of the evening with you coming and going from her room to offend against her in this way which must have been incredibly confusing to her”.

“She says she has had difficulty sleeping especially in that same bed,” he said.

Judge Clarke said the victim, who was of an impressionable and vulnerable age, attends counselling, suffers panic attacks, gets scared in public and feels some guilt.

The man pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and was sentenced to three years prison, wholly suspended after serving 10 months with a three-year operational period.

He is now a reportable sex offender.