Whitsunday granddad sentenced for rape, unlawful relationship of granddaughter

A Whitsunday man raped his granddaughter twice and maintained an unlawful relationship with her less than 12 months after his last child sexual offence sentence expired.

A Whitsunday man learned his fate after raping a 14-year-old girl twice.

A Whitsundays man, previously convicted for mistreating a nine-year-old, reoffended less than a year after his last sentence expired by raping his teen granddaughter twice.

The man was living in the Whitsundays at the time of the offences.

The man was previously convicted and imprisoned for mistreatment of a nine-year-old child and spent 11 months on remand.

Mackay District Court heard that in 2022 he maintained an unlawful sexual relationship with her and raped her twice.

The court heard in the final instance the victim went to his residence because it was hot and he began to grope her.

She tried to stop and push him away but he persisted, eventually raping her, only stopping when the victim’s mother walked in on them.

The court heard the defendant was previously convicted with indecently dealing with a nine-year-old child and was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, being released after 11 months and offending against his next victim less than 12 months after his sentence expired.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child.

The defendant ran away from home while in grade 7 and joined the show circuit, where he’s worked most of his life.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan said his client had a limited education and had a prejudicial upbringing.

The court also heard the defendant had experienced a traumatic event and Mr McLennan said he began using cocaine and marijuana to “manage his depression and guilt”.

“My client instructs he was using drugs heavily during that period … (he) is ashamed for his conduct,” Mr McLennan said.

“He’s asked to apologise to the complainant and family … he wants to engage in a sexual offenders and drug abuse program.”

District judge Vicki Loury said “this is not an 18-year-old who slept with his 16-year-old girlfriend”.

“He used drugs, namely cocaine and cannabis,” Judge Loury said.

The court heard in an interview with a forensic psychologist the defendant said “ the complainant child became a distraction for him and that latched on him”.

The man spent 938 days in presentence custody and will remain in prison, on remand until his parole eligibility date in 2026.

The court heard a psychological report considered the man to have a sexual attraction to children and he had a high risk of reoffending.

“The complainant was your granddaughter she should have been able to trust you,” Judge Loury said.

“You should have been nurturing and protecting your granddaughter but instead you have offended against her.”

Judge Loury sentenced the man to nine years imprisonment and said he had “a deviant sexual interest in children”.

She declared 938 days spent in custody between September 27, 2022 and April 21, 2025 as time served under the sentence and set a parole eligibility date of September 26, 2026.

“Our community despises the sexual abuse of our most vulnerable … your conduct must also be denounced on behalf of the community,” Judge Loury said.

Convictions were recorded for all charges.

Originally published as Whitsunday granddad sentenced for rape, unlawful relationship of granddaughter