Ipswich man sentenced for sexual assault of 14yo daughter

A man sentenced over the sexual assault of his young daughter has been supported by his wife in court, who said she would continue to support both him and her children.

Picture: file photo.

The wife of an alcoholic father who sexually assaulted his 14-year-old daughter has stood by him in court, describing him as a good man.

The Ipswich man, aged in his 50s, faced Ipswich District Court on May 12 for sentencing after he was charged with indecent treatment of a child under 16 and two counts of common assault.

The court heard the man had a decade-long issue with alcohol and that his offending occurred under the influence, leaving him with no memory of the incidents.

In October, 2020 he had been drinking heavily and encouraged his 14-year-old daughter to drink with him.

He then began tongue kissing her, grabbing her breasts and “fleetingly” touched her vagina outside her clothes.

In November, 2021 his two children were attempting to leave the house when the man, who was again drunk, put his daughter in a headlock and dragged his son into a bedroom and punched him in the knees.

His wife and mother of the two children supported him in court.

Defence barrister David Funch said the wife had described him as a “good man” and “good father.”

Mr Funch said she supported her children as well and believed their stories, but her support of them and her husband was “not mutually exclusive.”

“She expressed real concern to me that the court might perceive her ongoing support of him as in some way diminishing her support of her children,” he said.

“She wanted me to assure the court that’s not the case … the two are not mutually exclusive.”

The court heard the woman and children were living separately to the man as a result of a protection order that has remained in place.

Mr Funch said the woman indicated the children missed their father and loved him, however an application to vary the order would be submitted.

“They miss their dad, but they don’t miss the drinking,” he said.

“It is disgusting the way he has conducted himself.

“Other than this alcohol addiction, he’s a man of good character.

“He’s an excellent, dedicated father.”

Mr Funch said the man had a history of trying, but failing, to get sober.

His client was intending to go back into rehab, at the encouragement of his wife.

“She’s evidently a saint for continuing to support him and the children are more forgiving than he deserves,” he said.

Judge Horneman-Wren described the man’s offending as a “gross breach of trust.”

He was sentenced to nine months’ jail, to be served in the community as part of an intensive correction order.

Originally published as Ipswich man sentenced for sexual assault of 14yo daughter