Southern Highlands sexual abuse: Man pleads guilty to unlawful relationship with pre-teen daughter

A father has admitted to a horrific pattern of sexual abuse on his own daughter, with the abhorrent behaviour taking place across a five-year period. WARNING: Graphic content.

A father has admitted to a horrific pattern of sexual abuse on his own daughter, with the abhorrent behaviour taking place across a five-year period.

The 56-year-old man appeared in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday after being charged with eight offences related to an ongoing sexual relationship with an unlawful relationship with a child under 16 years old.

The fact sheet tendered to the court revealed the Southern Highlands resident had a sexual relationship with his daughter for six years, when she was aged between five and 11 years old.

Court documents state the man sexually abused his daughter almost every week and, on occasions, when other family members were in the house.

The man appeared in Goulburn Court House on November 10. Picture: Craig Dunlop

According to the court documents the father often engaged in unlawful sexual acts, both oral and penetrative, with the child.

On each occasion, the facts show the victim tried to stop her father because the acts hurt her. Despite her protests, documents state he told the child to “just put it in your mouth and suck it” when trying to engage her in an oral sex act.

Throughout the five years of ongoing sexual assault, the facts show the 56-year-old man told the victim what he was doing wasn’t wrong but repeatedly said she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone because they would be angry with her.

The facts outline one occasion when the father performed oral sex on his daughter and, when she got up to leave the room, said: “I’ve done you a favour, where’s mine?”.

In another incident, court documents state the man tried to have sex with the victim when she was five years old by pushing down on her shoulders and trying to force penetration but did not succeed.

When the victim learned sex education at school, she realised the relationship was wrong and told her mother. The facts show the mother confronted the father, who referred to the ongoing abuse as “mucking around”, and nothing changed.

When his daughter confronted the man last year, the facts show he admitted to the ongoing sexual abuse and apologised.

“I cannot apologise enough for it … I don’t know why I did it,” he said.

A recording of the conversation heard by police revealed the father suggested his daughter had “played a part” in the sexual offences. During the recording, police facts show he indicated the victim was the one who had wanted to continue the sexual relationship.

“You don’t remember me wanting to stop it?” he asked in the recording.

The victim finished giving evidence to the police at Goulburn Police Station on February 5. Picture Gary Ramage

In the police transcript of the recording, the father agreed the daughter “asked for it” but then argued he “didn’t say that” when she questioned him further.

The 56-year-old man pleaded guilty to the charge of maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child on Wednesday in Goulburn Local Court.

The court heard other charges will also be taken into account in determination, including attempted sexual intercourse with a person under 10 years old, sexual intercourse with a person under 10 years old, aggravated indecent assault of a victim under 16 years old, and aggravated sexual intercourse with a person between 10 and 14 years old.

The matter will be mentioned in Goulburn District Court on January 31 to set a date for sentencing.