AUNT’S BETRAYAL

Broken mums weep as ’monster’ jailed for abuse

TWO heartbroken Far Northern mums have wept for their “broken” families after their three sons were sexually abused by their “monster” aunt. The woman, 45, has been jailed for nine-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to 14 charges, including two counts of rape, committed against her three nephews and her own son, 10, over almost three years.

THE “broken” mums of three young Far North boys sexually abused by their aunt have wept as they described how their family’s lives have been destroyed by “the worst kind of predator”.

The 45-year-old woman, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of the boys, abused the trio aged between nine and 14, along with her own 10-year-old son, over almost three years in the small town.

Yesterday in the Cairns District Court, she was jailed for nine-and-a-half years.

Tragically, the worst offending was committed against the youngest boy, who was aged just nine at the time.

The court heard she raped him for about an hour, threatening to “expose him on Facebook” if he did not comply with her requests, telling him it was “top secret”.

His mum spoke out in court in an emotional victim impact statement, describing how her previously happy son was now withdrawn, medicated and had attempted suicide.

“He may never be the person he was supposed to become,” she said.

“We trusted you, we loved you, you destroyed us.

“You are the worst kind of predator, the predator we invited into our homes.

“You broke and destroyed them one by one.”

The mother of the older two boys, aged 12 and 14, said her youngest son had now quit school, was involved in substance abuse and had also attempted to take his own life.

She said up until the offending was revealed, she could not understand his behavioural changes, saw multiple medical experts and “questioned myself as a parent”.

“I no longer recognise my own son,” she said. “(This offending) makes you nothing short of a monster.”

The court heard the 12year-old boy bravely took part in a set-up phone call to his aunt recorded by police where she admitted the offending. Both families have been forced to leave town after being subjected to abuse from the offender’s supporters. The woman, a hospitality and office worker, was charged by police in January and pleaded guilty to 14 child sex offences, including two counts of rape, in September.

Defence solicitor Bebe Mellick told the court the woman was being housed in a special protective unit in the Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre, sharing a cell with up to five others, for her own safety and would likely need to stay there for her entire time behind bars.

Judge Dean Morzone said her behaviour “constituted the most vile conduct to young children”. He elected not to set a parole eligibility date.