Man in Rockhampton court for indecent treatment of a child under 12

A ‘vulnerable little girl’ has poor body image and fears men after her grandfather molested her inside his caravan while visiting his son. She blames herself and asks why this happened to her.

A man, who cannot legally be identified, has pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court to three counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12 who is a lineal descendant. generic

A young girl, who was groped by her much older grandfather in his caravan in a mining town, says she is now fearful of men, particularly older men, and asks herself why this happened to her.

The man, who cannot legally be identified, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on June 2 to three counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12 who is a lineal descendant.

Crown Prosecutor Ryan Godfrey said the man, who was in his 70s, had visited his son’s family in a mining town in the Isaac region with his caravan in 2015.

The victim was eight years old at the time of the offending and was the man’s granddaughter.

The court heard the girl and her siblings visited their grandfather’s caravan to watch a movie one night.

Mr Godfrey said during the movie the man started to touch his granddaughter’s stomach.

“He moved his hand down to touch her breasts and squeeze them,” he said.

The grandfather then grabbed his granddaughter’s hand and made her touch his genitalia. He then touched her genitalia.

Mr Godfrey said the girl told her mother and siblings in March 2022 that her grandfather had done things to her and a complaint was made to the police.

He said the man told police he could not remember the incident.

During a phone conversation recorded between the grandfather and the victim’s mother, he said while he struggled with his memory, he did not think there was any reason why his granddaughter would lie.

Mr Godfrey said the man was “very clearly in a position of trust” and the offending was a “gross violation of it”.

FEAR TOWARD MEN

Mr Godfrey said the girl provided a victim impact statement where she spoke of insecurity and fear toward men, particularly older men, and would ask herself why this happened to her.

Judge Jeff Clarke said the girl had also lost her sense of safety and security and experienced feelings of poor body image and self blaming.

Defence barrister Scott Moon said his client had separated from his wife for a period from about 2013 and were separated at the time of the offending. They have since gotten back together.

Mr Moon said his client also suffered from major depression, had a back injury, and had memory issues which were under investigation.

He said the offending occurred in 2015 and that his client had committed no further offences in the past seven years.

He said his client had offered to pay for counselling for the child, however, had not had contact with them since being charged.

Mr Moon said the victim impact statement was read to his client.

“His immediate response to that was that he feels terrible and devastated for the effect that he has caused on (the victim),” he said.

Judge Clarke said it was the “most egregious breach of the trusting relationship that you bore to this vulnerable little girl”.

“You are a grandfather,” he said.

“You occupied a very special and prominent position in her life and to have offended against her is horrible.

“You should carry a great sense of embarrassment and shame.”

Judge Clarke sentenced the man to two years’ prison, to be suspended for three years after serving seven months’ imprisonment.