NT man jailed for sexually assaulting passed-out niece

The offender watched on as another man raped his niece. After witnessing the horrific act, the man made a shocking decision. Warning: Disturbing.

A 54 year-old man’s horrific assault upon his niece has been revealed at the NT Supreme Court. Picture: Zizi Averill generic

A 54 year-old Tennant Creek man has been jailed for sexually assaulting his passed-out niece, with the judge telling a courtroom he “must be punished”.

The offender, whose name is suppressed to protect the victim, was sentenced after pleading guilty to performing an act of gross indecency in June.

On an evening in early 2024, the offender, the victim and a group of family members were drinking at an NT residence.

After smoking some cannabis, the victim went to bed followed by the rest of the group.

Just before dawn, the offender woke up to use the toilet when he discovered another man standing over the sleeping and intoxicated woman, masturbating.

The offender watched on as another man raped his niece in front of him.

The offender watched on as the man proceeded to undress the passed out woman and rape her.

At some point, the offender told the man to stop raping his niece.

In response, the man said “don’t tell your stepdaughter” before continuing to rape her.

The offender then took several cans of beer and drank alone outside.

When he came back, he found his passed-out niece alone and the man nowhere to be seen.

With no one around, the offender then climbed into the woman’s bed and sexually assaulted her.

The woman woke up the next morning to find herself undressed and her uncle alongside her.

The offender was arrested that afternoon and, in a recorded interview, denied any sexual activity occurred.

However, he would later make full admissions as to what he did, as well as the person who raped the woman before him.

Justice Stephen Southwood said the offence was a “gross breach of trust”. Picture: Patrina Malone

Justice Stephen Southwood said the offending involved a “gross breach of trust” against his own family.

“I take into account in mitigation that the offender has made full admissions for what he has done and, in my opinion, the manner in which he made those admissions demonstrates remorse and resipiscence,” he said.

“Nonetheless, the offender must be punished for what he has done.”

Justice Southwood sentenced the man to two years and six months’ imprisonment, backdated to June 24, 2024, with a non-parole period of 18 months.

The man will be eligible for parole on December 24, 2025.

Originally published as NT man jailed for sexually assaulting passed-out niece