Runcorn man claims 14-year-old stepdaughter came on to him

A Brisbane man who allegedly raped his stepdaughter claims she came onto him by ‘showing me her boobs’ and that it was all a misunderstanding involving Vicks VapoRub.

A BRISBANE man in his 60s who allegedly raped his 14-year-old stepdaughter twice and molested her two further times claimed the young girl had come onto him by “showing me her boobs”.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was today refused bail on charges which include attempting to pervert the course of justice, after police claim he sent an email from his wife’s phone to police stating she had made up the claims and her daughter hadn’t been molested.

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The offences are alleged to have occurred at the former family home at Runcorn.

Police allege the man molested his daughter, who was 14 at the time, three times between April and November 2017.

They further charge a fourth instance occurred sometime between July 31 and September 30 last year, after which the girl informed her mother about the alleged offending.

She made a statement to police on October 15.

The man was released on bail but was arrested again two weeks later after police received an email from the mother saying the allegations were made up and she wished not to proceed. The email made police “highly sceptical”, police prosecutor Tim Wise told the court.

The court heard a “quite incriminating” pretext phone call was made to the man, who made disturbing claims about the nature of his relationship with the girl.

Snippets read out to the court include:

– “I did touch her inappropriately but there were other things that happened between us.”

– “It stopped after Runcorn.” (The family had since moved to the Logan region).

– “I touched her yes, but she was showing me her boobs and stuff like that.”

Mr Wise summarised the man’s admissions bluntly – “She came on to me” – noting it suggested a lack of insight into his alleged behaviour.

The court heard the man would go on to change his story to say he was simply and innocently rubbing Vicks VapoRub on his stepdaughter’s throat and chest area.

“Why would a father figure be in the business of rubbing Vicks on a young girl’s breasts?” Magistrate Brian Kilmartin mused.

The girl and her mother are living in their home country in southeast Asia, although they are permanent residents of Australia.

Defence lawyer Mollie Roper said there may be an application to cross-examine the mother at the committal hearing, leading to submissions on how COVID restrictions might affect that.

In making the application, Ms Roper said the fact the girl and her mother were back in their home country meant he was unlikely to reoffend again.

However, Mr Kilmartin proved unswayed, noting the charge of attempting to pervert justice and how easy it was to contact people electronically.

The case will be mentioned again on July 15.