‘Both of very tender age’: Father given decade-long jail term after horrific abuse of two girls

A Tasmanian man has been given a lengthy jail term after committing “very serious” crimes against two young girls “of very tender age” – one of whom is his biological daughter. CONTENT WARNING

A Tasmanian man has been given a decade-long jail term after repeatedly raping both his daughter and his partner’s daughter – while his partner was absent, occupied or asleep.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the children, abused the girls over a six-month period between 2021 to 2022, when they were both aged under 10.

While sentencing on Monday, Supreme Court judge Robert Pearce said the man – who is aged in his 30s – committed a number of indecent assaults and rapes against both girls.

He has denied any “underlying sexual interest in children”, but the judge said there was “no doubt” the man displayed and acted upon a sexual interest in the two girls.

A doctor said the man’s heavy use of methamphetamine had led to heightened sexual arousal and “reckless sexual behaviours”.

“That may explain your actions but does not provide any excuse or mitigation,” Justice Pearce said.

The judge said the man had no previous convictions for sexual offending and had displayed remorse.

“You admit all of the conduct although your memory of that period is clouded by your heavy drug use,” Justice Pearce said.

“You understand the gravity of what you did and the harm that you have done and are deeply ashamed of it.”

But the judge said the crimes were “very serious”, and the man had committed a grave breach of trust of both his own daughter, and another child for whom he had assumed a parental role.

“You breached the trust of their mothers. Your responsibility was to protect and care for the children. They were both of very tender age,” Justice Pearce said.

“The crimes were committed in what should have been the safety and security of their home.”

He said it was presumed that sexual crimes against children would cause profound harm, likely lifelong.

The man was jailed for 10 years, with a non-parole period of five years.

His name will remain on the sex offenders’ register for 15 years upon his release from prison.

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