Paedophile rapist jailed
A paedophile who raped a child and molested another will serve at least eight years in prison after being sentenced in Cairns District Court on Monday.
The 47-year-old man, who cannot be named as it could identify the victims, faced 12 charges including maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child and two counts of rape when he penetrated the child without wearing a condom.
The man, a New Zealand citizen who could be deported upon release, was sentenced by judge Tracy Fantin to 10 years in prison.
An aggravating factor was that the children were in his care at the time of the offences.
Judge Fantin expressed concern that “for reasons unexplained”, it took police 11 months to interview the man after the first child’s family reported the offending to them in November 2021.
“It is an extraordinary delay,” she said.
Police eventually interviewed him in January 2022, and he was charged in April 2022 and remanded on bail.
The court heard he was a FIFO worker who stayed at the girl’s home when the offences took place over 2½ years.
After charges were laid, the second child’s family asked their daughter if she had been touched inappropriately and consequently went to police, resulting in two charges.
The man was remanded in custody in February 2023.
Judge Fantin observed it was far more common for sexual offenders of children to be a member of the family rather than a stranger.
The man was not biologically related to either child, but one considered him an uncle and the other a grandfather.
Judge Fantin took issue with the man appearing via videolink from prison when she had ordered he be present in court.
Crown prosecutor Matthew Hancock read a victim impact statement from the girl.
“I had anger and resentment toward my parents because they didn’t protect me, but it is not their fault, it is your fault,” the girl said in her statement, which outlined her PTSD, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, depression and extensive counselling.
“I kept to myself and contemplated suicide but I deserve a fruitful and happy life and the cycle of abuse ends here,” she said. “You had a choice, you had the power and control to make better decisions and choices. Even though I am still working through the trauma, I haven’t become bitter.
“Unfortunately, it is those closest to you that hurt you.
“You no longer have any control over me, this ends here, this ends now,” she said.
Two offences with the second girl, aged from when she was six to nine years old, demonstrated somebody who was at risk of reoffending, Mr Hancock said.
Her mother in a statement said her daughter was positive and outgoing but now had anxiety attacks, heart palpitations, and had stopped dancing because anxiety caused her hands and feet to sweat.
“Her zest for life has diminished and the beautiful spark in her eyes has gone,” she said.
The man spoke to the court and said he was sorry.
“What happened is my responsibility, I am apologising to both parties, I should know better, I was their caretaker, but it just affected me, the drugs, drinking; that’s not an excuse,” he said.