Regional Vic man accused of sexually assaulting daughter

A regional Victorian dad allegedly groped, fondled and took intimate photos of his daughter after ballet class, a court has heard.

A young ballerina in regional Victoria was allegedly groped, fondled and photographed by her father in a series of assaults in their home, a court has heard.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court last week accused of sexually assaulting his daughter six times when she was in her early teens.

It was alleged the man developed a pattern of abuse, assaulting his daughter after ballet class.

He allegedly groped and took photos of her developing breasts.

The court heard the alleged abuse started more than 10 years ago when the ballerina was sitting on the couch while her mum was cooking in the kitchen.

Police said the teen was in her leotard after ballet class when she was asked by her father if he could see her “developing body”.

It was alleged he started rubbing and touching her body, and took photos with a red camera.

He then asked her to lift her arms and took pictures of her chest at different angles.

The man allegedly told her he wanted to monitor her development as she went through puberty, and used a tape measure on her breasts.

“How about we take photos to show you through the years?” he allegedly told her.

Police claimed soon after he told the girl “it’s time to take more photos” before pulling off her leotard and crop top.

He allegedly commented on her growing breasts before taking more photos.

A few weeks later it allegedly happened again.

This time her mother walked into the room soon after the abuse allegedly happened.

Police said her mother remembered the man turned back towards his computer as her child pulled her crop top back on.

The pattern allegedly repeated three more times.

His daughter claimed on only one occasion her father did not take photos of her breasts.

Police claimed the abuse ended on the sixth occasion when she was in her bedroom when he took photos and fondled her.

It was alleged after he finished he thanked his daughter before telling her to get ready for school.

The court heard she later told her mother she wanted the photos to stop.

Police said the red camera used to take the accused photos was stored in a filing cabinet.

It took years before the woman, now in her 20s, revealed to her loved ones what she allegedly experienced.

Police said she confronted her father about the alleged assaults over texts, saying he failed as a father and he made her sick.

She later contacted police.

On Wednesday August 4 the accused appeared in magistrate’s court and denied all of the allegations.

He will return to the court during a five-day hearing in December when more than a dozen witnesses will give evidence.