Child sex dad assaulted his young sister

A FATHER, who is serving 16 years’ jail for horrific abuse against his children, also sexually assaulted his much younger sister.

The historic offending occurred south of Cairns between August 1999 and August 2000 when he, then 32 or 33, was visiting his parents.

Yesterday, in the Cairns District Court, the 51-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent treatment of a child against the 15-year-old girl in her own bed.

Crown prosecutor Aaron Dunkerton said the offending had “long-lasting affects” on his sister including a “lack of self confidence and trust issues”.

The court was told these offences predated his offending against his children.

In her victim impact statement his sister said that she wished she “had the courage” to speak up earlier.

“For many years she wanted to tell someone what had happened,” Mr Dunkerton said.

“She still wakes up from bad dreams, and all she can think of is if she had told someone earlier it could have stopped him from destroying other kids’ futures.”

The sex crimes against his children were protracted spanning 12-and-a-half years and only stopped when he was caught.

Last year he was jailed for 16 years and must serve 80 per cent of the term, giving him a parole eligibility date in January 2029.

The court was told the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been sexually abused in his youth and was now a perpetrator.

Defence barrister Tim Grau said his client was remorseful as indicated by his early plea, but Judge Dean Morzone wasn’t convinced, saying that any term gets absorbed into the more serious penalty.

“You committed these offences in secret,” Judge Morzone said. He was jailed for 22 months on each count, which will be served at the same time as the 16-year term.

SHE STILL WAKES UP FROM BAD DREAMS. ALL SHE CAN THINK OF IS IF SHE HAD TOLD SOMEONE EARLIER IT COULD HAVE STOPPED HIM FROM DESTROYING OTHER KIDS’ FUTURES CROWN PROSECUTOR AARON DUNKERTON