Former citizen of the year jailed for child rape
"I couldn't live with myself knowing that another child could go through what I went through,” said his victim
Sunshine Coast
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A FORMER senior citizen of the year has been jailed for the rape and repeated sexual assault of a nine-year-old girl.
Over a two-year period in the 1980s Gordon Lloyd Adams took a young girl to a number of isolated locations where he sexually abused her and on one occasion forced himself onto her.
The girl was aged between nine and 12 at the time.
On Friday Adams, 65, was sentenced at Brisbane District Court to six and half years jail for rape and indecent treatment of a child under 12.
In 2013 Adams was awarded the Gympie Senior Citizen of the Year award.
The court heard Adams had a previous conviction for unlawful carnal knowledge with a 15-year-old girl that occurred in 1990.
The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told the court Adams's treatment of her had significantly impacted her life.
"He has touched every aspect of my life," she said.
"I came forward to tell my story because I couldn't live with myself knowing that another child could go through what I went through."
She said she still struggles with depression, and as a young adult turned to illicit drugs and alcohol to self-medicate.
She said for years she blamed herself for being attacked and was "scared no one would believe her".
Adams's lawyer Damian Walsh said his client suffered numerous severe medical issues that he claimed were not being properly treated in jail.
Mr Walsh said Adams had an urgent appointment to have a liver condition assessed that jail staff did not follow through on.
Judge Paul Smith said he would consider resentencing Adams if the medical conditions were not treated.
Adams will be eligible to apply for parole in March 2020 after spending the next 22 months in prison. Two months he has spent since pleading guilty were declared time already served. -NewsRegional
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