Jail for abominable dad

A TOWNSVILLE man who maintained an “abominable” sexual relationship with his son for more than six years will spend at least the next 12 behind bars.

The man, 56, pleaded not guilty to abusing his son but was convicted by a Townsville District Court jury last month.

Yesterday, Judge Stuart Durward sentenced him to 15 years jail and ordered he serve at least 80 per cent of the term.

The judge said the son was abused from age 10 to 17, and the court had heard evidence of earlier assaults when the family lived interstate, outside the jurisdiction of Queensland police.

“Your conduct was such that the community at large would be horrified by what you have done, and find your con- duct to be despicable, inexcusable and outrageous,” he said.

The judge said the father had shown no remorse and had falsely accused his son and ex- wife of dishonesty.

“Throughout all of the days that occupied the trial and even through this sentencing process, you have in your demeanour seemed to me to maintain the appearance or visage of an interested observer of the proceedings, rather than that of a man facing very serious charges,” he said. Judge Durward said after assaulting his son, the man would pray and ask forgiveness.

“One of the unconscionable parts of your conduct was you turning to your professed religious beliefs to try, in my view, to sanitise your conduct,” he said. “Turning to prayer after committing the offences to absolve your conscience was an affront to any religious ethos or belief.”

The judge said a victim im- pact statement showed the son, who is now in his 20s, had suffered financial, physical and psychological losses.

In 2016, he was diagnosed with post- traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and insomnia. He had also suffered weight gain.

“He considers that he has become desensitised to sexual affection with his partner, which caused a rift in that relationship, and also a loss of libido and no desire for affection,” the judge said. Judge Durward said the offender had been raised in an exclusive church and was excommunicated when he began working outside the church.

Defence barrister Harvey Walters told the court the man had little experience of normal relationships. “It must have been apparent to you that what you were doing was wrong, because you would not otherwise have turned to prayer,” the judge said.