Burpengary East predator jailed for life for grooming disabled teen

A Moreton Bay man preyed on his partner’s granddaughter, repeatedly assaulting her in disgusting ways. WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT

A Moreton Bay man preyed on his partner’s intellectually disabled granddaughter, repeatedly assaulting her and procuring her to send him exploitative images and videos of herself, a court has heard.

The Burpengary East man in his late fifties, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of his victim, pleaded guilty to 10 offences relating to his treatment of the girl in her mid-teens during the offending period, which spanned from January 2018 to October 2019.

His offences included indecent treatment of a child under the age of 16, maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child, grooming a child, possessing child exploitation material (CEM) and involving a child in the making of CEM.

The court heard the offending largely occurred at the house he shared with the girl’s grandmother, his partner, and where the girl would stay one or two nights a week.

On various occasions, the man snuck into her room late at night to masturbate in front of her and indecently assault her.

A Burpengary East man in his late fifties has been jailed for life for maintaining a relationship with his partner’s intellectually disabled granddaughter. Picture: istock.

He purchased her a sex toy and asked her to send him videos of her using it.

He also sent her various pornographic videos, including ones featuring bestiality, and asked her to send videos in return, which she did.

Among other requests, he asked the girl to send her a video of her urinating, which she did.

The court heard the girl’s father uncovered the offending when he seized her mobile phone due to her suspicious behaviour.

When he sensed he was about to be outed, the man told his partner, the girl’s grandmother, he had done something wrong and “needed help”.

Crown prosecutor Michael Gawrych submitted this was to get on the “front foot” and minimise his offending.

When interviewed by police, the man gave a self-serving interview where he admitted to some predatory behaviour but elided others.

For instance, the man claimed he was unable to maintain an erection, when photographic evidence contradicted this statement.

The court heard the man had previously been convicted of similar behaviour.

In 2002, he was given a nominal head sentence of five years, to serve at least nine months, for grooming and indecently assaulting two children, aged 13 and 14.

The court heard the man himself was a victim of sexual abuse as a child at the hands of his maternal grandfather, who was jailed for nine years for assaulting the man and his two siblings.

He has had lifelong issues with substance abuse and self-harm, the court heard.

He had already spent about 21 months in custody at Wolston Correctional Centre since his arrest.

Judge Paul Smith said the man had “a history of deviant sexual arousal” for which there was only one possible sentence.

The man was imprisoned for life with no parole eligibility set.