Businessman Bertram Penman in Maroochydore court for raping young girl

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: A former prominent businessman has been jailed after a now-teenager spoke out about the “hideous” sexual abuse she suffered as a vulnerable young child.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: A former prominent businessman has been jailed after a now-teenager spoke out about the “hideous” sexual abuse she suffered as a vulnerable young child.Â

A former roofing businessman has been punished in court for raping a young girl after she spoke out 10 years on from the “vile” offending.

Bertram Penman, now 77, was sentenced to 4.5 years’ prison suspended after serving 19 months for an operational period of five years in Maroochydore District Court.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks said Penman was between the ages of 66 and 69 when he raped a young girl.

Ms Marks said the victim told her parents about the offending in March 2021 when she was 13-years-old.

She was able to recall five incidents where Penman sexually abused her.

“He would try to make out with her … he attempted to stick his tongue inside her mouth,” Ms Marks said.

“The defendant had also told her it was their little secret.”

The now 15-year-old victim read her impact statement aloud in court and spoke of the ongoing impacts the offending has had on her.

“Every second week I’d go to therapy, it was like the anchor to my trauma I couldn’t escape, I became depressed, I was the shell of my body,” she said.

“I felt so physically disgusted with my body … some nights when I would shower I would scrub so hard on my skin until it was read raw, I just wanted the feeling of dirtiness and disgust to leave.”

The victim told the court she now doesn’t feel safe when leaving the house and is terrified of men.

“Although I might not be able to give back that sweet little girl her innocence and childhood at least I can give her the justice she deserves,” she said.

Defence barrister Ambyr Cousen said her client had written an apology letter to the victim and had no criminal history.

Ms Cousen said Penman started his own roofing company that became one of the biggest in Australia over a 40-year period.

“He knows he can’t take it back, he knows he’s messed up (the complainant’s) life,” Ms Cousen said.

“He has demonstrated genuine remorse.”

Penman pleaded guilty to six counts of rape and four counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12.

Judge Nathan Jarro described the offending as “vile”, “abhorrent” and “hideous” and recorded convictions against him.

Originally published as Businessman Bertram Penman in Maroochydore court for raping young girl