Stepdaughter, wife outline impact

A MAN was told by his stepdaughter in court yesterday how his sexual offending had made her sad and scared.

The man, who was granted final name suppression to protect the victims, listened to both his stepdaughter and wife, who read out victim impact statements before Judge Peter Rollo in the Invercargill District Court yesterday.

He appeared for sentence on five charges of indecent assault, strangulation, and three charges of breaching a protection order (sexual abuse and physical abuse) against his stepdaughter; and one charge of breaching a protection order (psychological abuse) against his wife. The offences occurred between July 28, 2017, and November 21 last year.

The stepdaughter said that she had accepted the man into her life because he was married to her mother.

‘‘I lost trust in him when he was doing this to me.

‘‘It made me sad and scared. It left me feeling very sad, upset and lonely.’’

His wife, who had now separated from him, said the man controlled the money in the household and would use controlling and threatening behaviour towards her, resulting in her seeking a protection order from the court.

Since they had been separated things had been much better, she said.

Crown prosecutor Wallace Chapman said that the offending was serious and repeated and had taken place over a

number of years.

Defence counsel Keith Owen rejected a statement a probation officer had made in the first presentence report which said he had little insight into his offending.

A second report and a letter the man handed to the judge yesterday showed he had accepted his offending. Judge Rollo said on one

occasion, the man had locked the door so his wife could not get into the house before he offended against the girl.

The man had taken advantage of a vulnerable young girl and the difficulties she had in her life.

‘‘Your actions were premeditated, particularly in the

last instance when you locked the door to commit your offend

ing.’’

Judge Rollo sentenced the man

to 24 and ahalf months’ jail and ordered his name be entered in the Child Sex Offender Register.