A 60-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to a sexual relationship with a minor

A Northern Tasmanian man has pleaded not guilty to the indecent assault of the daughter of a family friend.

A Northern Tasmanian man who indecently assaulted the daughter of a family friend multiple times over four years will spend up to eight years in prison.

A NORTHERN Tasmanian man who indecently assaulted the daughter of a family friend multiple times over four years will spend up to eight years in prison.

The 60-year-old man, who cannot be identified, pleaded not guilty to the charge of maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person but a jury found him guilty of a series of seven indecent assaults from 2010-2014, when the victim was aged 8-12 years old.

The man became friends with the victim’s parents in 2008 and was soon so trusted by them that the victim started spending a lot of time with him, even going on overnight trips together.

MORE COURT: KILLER OUT ON PAROLE

In sentencing in the Supreme Court in Launceston on Wednesday Justice Robert Pearce said the man began indecently assaulting the girl from the first time she stayed with him alone and the sustained period of abuse continued until she was 12 and only came to light when she was 14 and told her friends at school about the assaults, at which point police were contacted.

MORE NEWS: WHY THE HOLD UP? RHH’S BUILDING DELAY TIMELINE | HIGH-END PUBLIC SERVANT LEAVES $324K JOB | WE WANT A PIAZZA, NOT A CARPARK

In the years since the abuse, the victim has had trouble sleeping, has self-harmed, and has trouble trusting people and forming close relationships.

Justice Pearce described the man’s acts as “very degrading” before sentencing him to eight years in prison, commencing February 10.

He will be eligible for parole after serving five years and will be on the sex offenders register for 12 years after his release.

[e-mail]