You abused your little sister, you were a child yourself’
'You abused your little sister, you were a child yourself, you locked the door and initially you pretended it was a game.'
Bundaberg
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"YOUR sister felt intimidated, she had to struggle in silence and is still suffering."
Those were the words of District Court Judge Leanne Clare during sentencing of a man for the rape and indecent treatment of his young sister 14 years ago.
The man, now in his 30s, pleaded guilty in Bundaberg District Court on Tuesday to one charge of rape and six counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12.
He cannot be named for legal reasons.
Crown prosecutor Alexandra Baker told the court the man committed the offences when he was 16 and his sister was five or six years old.
Ms Baker said he was trusted to look after his younger siblings on occasion while their parents worked.
The offences happened on different occasions between May 2006 and May 2007.
Ms Baker told the court one of the offences included the man taking his sister to his room where she was made to watch him masturbate.
Things later escalated to other sickening physical acts.
She said on another occasion the man exposed both his younger sister and brother to a pornographic video and sex toy.
Ms Baker said the man made "criminating admissions" and "admitted he took her (the sister) childhood away".
Defence barrister Nick Larter said that his client accepted everything his sister said.
He said his client had been making efforts to address issues with mental health and was genuinely remorseful for his actions.
Judge Clare said she took into account the man's plea of guilty and had to sentence him on the basis that he was a child at the time the offences were committed.
"You abused your little sister, you were a child yourself, you locked the door and initially you pretended it was a game," she said.
"Your sister quickly worked out it was something terribly different.
"Ten years later your brother spoke up,
"He had carried the guilt of not protecting his sister.
"Of course it should not have been his burden to bare.
"He was not responsible, you were."
Judge Clare said she also took into account the man had not committed any offences since and that he had worked to rehabilitate himself.
He was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and also received a $1000 good behaviour bond with an operational period of two years.
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