78-year-old mechanical engineer south of Brisbane faces Beenleigh Court for predatory child abuse

An elderly mechanical engineer subjected a girl he was babysitting to sickening sex abuse offences - including in her own home.

An elderly man has been jailed for predatory child abuse.

An elderly mechanical engineer has been jailed by a Logan court for sickening offences committed against a girl he was babysitting and in care of.

The 78-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the victim, pleaded guilty in Beenleigh District Court on February 23 to two counts of indecent treatment of a person under 12 and one count of indecent treatment of a person under 16.

The court heard there was a 65-year age gap between the defendant and the victim, which was “particularly alarming”.

Three times, between 2019 and 2021, the defendant touched the nine-year-old child inappropriately while babysitting her when she was in grade five.

She was aged nine to 12 when he would grab the victim and place her on his lap.

He also followed her into the house, where he subjected her to abusive acts.

A prosecutor said the offending was aggravated by the fact he was supposed to be taking care of the girl.

“He was a trusted adult in her life,” the prosecutor said.

“He was someone the victim could expect to trust and he violated that.”

The court heard the defendant had no criminal history.

Judge Terry Gardiner noted the man’s lack of previous offending.

“You are genuinely remorseful and are of otherwise good character,” Judge Gardiner said.

“I remain, however, unconvinced there are exceptional circumstances that would see you avoiding custody.”

The defendant was sentenced to 15 months in jail and must serve three months of actual custody.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders’ registry for five years with restrictions on travel and socialising with children.