An elderly man who sexually abused his young granddaughter for almost five years has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison.
Warning: This story contains references to child sexual abuse that may distress some readers.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to a charge of persistent abuse for inappropriately touching the girl on 30 to 40 seperate occasions from when she was just 6-years-old.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Alan Blow said the man, a “first offender”, was in his 60s when he began carrying out the crimes.
“What you did was a serious breach of the trust placed in you by the child and by your daughter, the child’s mother,” Justice Blow said.
“You took advantage of her, you took advantage of her vulnerability. The psychological impact on her has been extreme.”
Justice Blow said the girl dropped out of school, suffers from constant flashbacks and made the decision to move interstate, leaving her without some of her family and childhood friends.
“Your offending has had an impact on the whole of her household and not just on her,” Justice Blow said.
The court heard the man has medical conditions that will negatively impact his time in prison, including osteoporosis, elevated cholesterol, diabetes and heart problems.
“The only appropriate sentence is a substantial period of imprisonment,” Justice Blow said.
“I will impose the shortest possible non-parole period because you are a first offender and because of your age.”
His four year, six month sentence was backdated to November 1, 2023, with parole available after two years and three months.
