Step-father filmed himself molesting girls as they slept
MAN ALSO RECORDED THEM IN BATHROOM, HAD CHILD PORN
A SEX abuser filmed himself molesting two step-daughters when they were asleep in bed and secretly recorded them in the bathroom.
The man, in his early 30s, secretly recorded one of the girls trying on bras.
The step-father, from Leicester, pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences, including sexually assaulting the two sleeping girls when they were aged between nine and 12, as well as downloading indecent images of children and extreme pornography.
He appeared at Leicester Crown Court via a link from prison, sobbing and covering his face with his hands throughout the hearing.
The defendant is not being named because of a court order protecting the identities of the victims.
They were described as being vulnerable and having health issues. The girls’ natural father heard details of the abuse suffered by his daughters as he sat in the public gallery, and appeared shaken and distressed at times.
Neil Bannister, prosecuting, said the police visited the defendant’s family home after receiving information his e-mail address was linked to the downloading of illegal images of children.
The married man’s mobile phone and laptop computer were found to contain online child pornography.
It was then that footage of him indecently touching his two stepdaughters was also discovered.
The defendant additionally possessed moving images of the girls changing, using the bathroom and one trying on bras with her mother’s help. When asked about the allegations he confessed, telling the interviewing officer: “It’s true.”
Mr Bannister said: “He said he knew it was wrong and that he needed help.”
The defendant’s wife never wants to see or hear from him again, the court was told.
She described, in her personal impact statement, feeling “shock, disbelief and anger” at his betrayal of trust.
The court heard she has, so far, protected her daughters from the knowledge of what happened.
Mr Bannister said the natural father of both victims had described being upset and feeling he had let his daughters down by not being able to protect them from their stepfather.
Judge Robert Brown told the crying defendant both girls were vulnerable because of health difficulties.
He said: “This was a course of conduct, not an isolated offence. The filming of images is a seriously aggravating feature.”
The defendant admitted four counts of sexually assaulting the sisters by touching them intimately in their sleep, between 2018 and earlier this year.
He admitted three counts of voyeurism and three offences of taking indecent images, by covertly filming the girls.
The step-dad also pleaded guilty to three offences of downloading indecent images of children, of which 180 images were in the most serious range, category A, 104 images in category B and 193 images in category C, as well as possessing 12 images of extreme pornography, between 2014 and this year.
Steven Newcombe, mitigating, said: “There was little more he could have done in the police interview to assist in the investigation.
“His remorse isn’t just him sitting there weeping, as he is today, but by accepting each and every offence on the indictment (the charge sheet).
“He knows he was supposed to be looking after the girls and creating a safe environment for them – and he abused his position.
“He has never been in trouble before and custody has had a dramatic effect on him.
“He admits he needs help and there’s a strong possibility he will not reoffend.”
The step-dad was jailed for nine years and eight months.
He was placed on a sexual harm prevention order, as well as a restraining order, banning contact with the girls or their mother, for an indefinite period.
The defendant will also have to record all future addresses on a sex offender register, for life.