A northern Tasmanian man has been sentenced for abusing his stepdaughter

Family members of a girl sexually abused by her stepfather wept in the Supreme Court in Launceston as the charges were read.

A NORTHERN Tasmanian man who sexually abused his stepdaughter for almost five years has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Family members wept in the Supreme Court in Launceston as Justice Robert Pearce read the details of the charges this week.

The 48-year-old man, who cannot be identified, pleaded guilty to maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person.

He married the victim’s mother when the girl was four years old and began abusing her when she was 12 years old.

Twelve separate instances of sexual assault and attempts to have sex were perpetrated over the following five years, only ceasing soon after the victim’s 16th birthday.

The assaults started out as taking naked photographs of the girl, and escalated in seriousness, including oral and digital sexual assault, and even creating a false social media account in the victim’s name and using it to send naked photos of her and sexual messages to her high school friends.

Too ashamed to return to school, she commenced home schooling, which gave the man more opportunities to abuse her.

MORE NEWS: SALMON INDUSTRY TO FACE GRILLING | $260M UTAS PROJECT LAUNCHED | GLOBAL PUBLICITY COULD AWAIT TASSIE NBL SIDE

In sentencing, Justice Pearce noted the man had held a prominent position in his church community and worked with vulnerable people in a community service capacity prior to the charges being made.

“There could hardly be a more serious breach of trust,” he said.

“It was cruel, heartless, and you have shown no remorse.”

The man was sentenced to 10 years in prison commencing from February 4 this year, and will be eligible for parole after serving six years.

He will be listed on the sexual offenders register for 15 years following his release.

[e-mail]