Man sent to jail for decade-old indecent treatment offences against step-granddaughter

An elderly man subjected his step-granddaughter to repeated sexual abuse every school holidays for almost five years, a court has heard.

The matter was heard in Maroochydore District Court. Picture: Patrick Woods.

An elderly man slowly wheeled himself to the watch house after receiving only six months in jail for repeatedly inappropriately touching his step-granddaughter.

The man in his 80s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wore a hearing device as he sat in the dock at Maroochydore Magistrates Court this week.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks told the court of his misdeeds against his step-granddaughter, who was between the ages of 8 and 13 at the time of the offences.

The court heard the young girl was put into the care of the man and her grandmother during school holidays to allow her mother to work.

Judge Gary Long had told the court the young girl had called her step-grandfather “pa”.

Ms Marks said the sexual actions occurred about two or three times each holiday period, which equated to 20 school holidays.

The offending included the man inappropriately touching the girl’s genitalia to varying degrees of severity.

The court heard the inappropriate touching occurred in various settings including the shower and the pool.

On some occasions, the man used baby powder in his offending.

Ms Marks said the young girl’s sister and cousin were present during an incident in the pool, where her cousin had told the elderly man to stop his touching.

The court was told the victim had told her grandmother of the man’s actions in the pool but was told to stop lying.

Ms Marks said the continuous offences only stopped when the girl’s grandmother split from her step-grandfather, and the families had no further contact.

The young girl eventually told her mother of the man’s inappropriate behaviour who was eventually charged.

The matter was initially set for trial until the man declared he would enter guilty pleas.

He pleaded guilty to maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child, one of rape and five of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and under guardianship, care or linear descent.

Ms Marks spoke of the serious impact the man’s actions had on the victim, who was deprived of her “childhood innocence”.

She said the girl now suffered from anxiety and insomnia.

It has also impacted her social life and her career, where she could not work with the elderly due to the incidents.

Ms Marks labelled the man’s conduct as “brazen offending” with people in the same house and a some 60 years in age difference.

Defence barrister Troy Newman told the court of the man’s health ailments.

He said the man would be at risk of his health declining if he were not provided his medication.

He also noted three months ago the man was given a life expectancy of one or two years.

Judge Gary Long considered the man’s health and life expectancy in his sentencing.

He ultimately sentenced the man to five years’ imprisonment to be suspended after serving six months.

The man used his mobility walker to slowly wheel himself to the watch house door under the watchful eye of a police officer.