Daughter’s devastating message to rapist dad in Ipswich Court

“Shame, lies and heartache”: A woman has delivered a heartbreaking message in court to her “biggest fear” – her father. The man apologised for his actions as he was jailed for sexually abusing her and her siblings throughout their childhood. WARNING: GRAPHIC

A court has heard harrowing details of abuse in a victim impact statement. Picture: File

A father has apologised to his children after sexually abusing them, with his daughter delivering a heartbreaking account of how his offending had “brought shame, lies and heartache” to their family.

The man, who is in his 40s and cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court today (January 25) to two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16 who was a lineal descendant and under his care.

The court heard the man had been sentenced in 2019 and also in 2020 for a string of sexual abuse charges committed against his children, including rape and maintaining sexual relationships with children.

He was sentenced to two years and eight months’ jail in 2019 and five years and six months in 2020, with a release date in October, 2027.

The court heard the additional charges still before the court had originally attached to related charges that went to trial and returned a not-guilty verdict.

The man did however plead guilty to the two indecent treatment offences, which he committed against his daughter some years ago.

The man’s daughter, now an adult, read her victim impact statement out loud to the court at his sentence as her father hung his head.

“The actions of (the defendant) have immensely affected many aspects of my life,’’ she said in the devastating testimony, only metres away from her father.

“It’s affected my physical, mental, social, emotional, and sexual wellbeing.

“He has brought shame, lies and heartache into my family.”

She recounted how her mother had a mental breakdown when she found out what her husband had done and said he had “ruined” her relationships with her family members.

“He has altered the way I view myself and the way others around me view me,” she continued.

“I view all men differently … especially dads … I don’t feel safe around anyone”.

“My own dad did it, why wouldn’t anyone else?”

A woman has outlined abuse at the hands of her father in a statement read out in Ipswich Courthouse. Picture David Clark

The woman explained how her dad’s offending affected her friendships and romantic relationships, saying she always feels “pitied” and as if people viewed her as “messed up” and “fragile”.

She said she would often get flashbacks while having sex and it had put a strain on her relationship with her partner.

“Every time my own partner touches me, all I can see is my dad’s beard … I’m a little girl again – weak, vulnerable,” she said.

“Can you imagine how sick I get when I want to have consensual sex with a man and all I see is my dad?”

The woman recounted difficulties growing up including feeling isolated and insecure at school and having disturbing fantasies about being raped which gave her a “sense of familiarity”.

“Familiar doesn’t mean normal,” she said.

She described having recurring nightmares about trying to escape her father and said she had wanted to kill herself “mostly because I know (he) can’t get to me when I’m dead”.

“When I was in school, I would picture him getting out, hunting me and my siblings down, dragging me out by the head and murdering us,” she said.

“If (the man) got out, I don’t think I’ll sleep.”

“I can never be at peace due to my dad. He isn’t dad. He’s my biggest fear.’’

The man read out his own message to the court, apologising for his actions.

“I look forward to a chance to reconcile with my children if I can,” he said.

“I do love my children, despite my actions.

“I live in hope of redemption, through healing and reconciliation.”

Defence lawyer Chris Minnery said if the additional offences had been before the court at the 2020 sentencing that would not have resulted in a greater head sentence at the time.

He also noted his client was sexually abused as a child himself.

He said while that was not an excuse, it had “normalised this sort of offending” to him.

Judge Dennis Lynch told the man his offending had a devastating effect on his children.

But he said the additional charges would not have impacted the original sentence.

He sentenced the man 12 months’ jail for each offence, to be served concurrently with his earlier sentences.

The man’s release date remained unchanged at October 4, 2027 and his parole eligibility date remained at October 19, 2023.

Originally published as Daughter’s devastating message to rapist dad in Ipswich Court