Warning: distressing content
A young girl’s life has been destroyed by sexual abuse at the hands of her uncle, a successful taxi boss.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was stone-faced as he was handcuffed by sheriffs at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court and taken to jail.
He was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of four counts of intentionally sexually touching a child under the age of 16. He was several decades older at the time.
During sentencing remarks, Magistrate Gina Towney said the man followed his niece to bed in another relative’s home and put his hands inside her underpants to make skin-to-skin contact. He also put his hand inside her bra and grabbed her breast, as well as squeezed the outside of her pants in her genital area.
Magistrate Towney said the man was “very active” in a short amount of time and “dominated the victim” with his repeat offending.
“He asked the victim if she was going to divulge the information put her on the spot and made the experience between two of them one she was bound to keep secret,” she said, describing the acts as opportunistic ones which followed grooming behaviour.
“I don’t consider them spur of the moment offences,” she said.
“Although there are no prior charges or convictions (against the man), there’s also been no acceptance or remorse.”
In a harrowing victim impact statement read out in court, the brave girl faced her abuser head-on as she spoke of the lasting trauma.
“This day will be forever ingrained in my memory,” the girl told the court.
“I was horrified and was left struggling with physical, psychological and emotional wounds yet to be healed”.
Through tears, the girl told the court she grapples daily with suicidal thoughts, humiliation and fear over what has happened to her and how it has divided her family.
“Trauma has had a lasting impact on my overall wellbeing, causing me to live in fear and discomfort,” she said, adding panic attacks and nightmares had made it difficult for her to function.
“I considered him to be like a father — I never thought he would do that,” she said.
“I felt I had to speak out so he would not destroy someone else’s life like he destroyed mine”.
Supporters of the victim cried in the public gallery as the girl spoke of how her school grades have suffered since the assault.
“Constant anxiety has taken over all of my relationships and I struggle to find joy in the things I love,” she said.
“I struggle to get out of bed everyday. Even the smallest task of going to shower, I constantly dread, as the vulnerability I feel is so extreme, I’m disgusted to look at myself in the mirror. It is a constant reminder of what happened to me that day when I went into the (bed)room”.
She said the man does not deserve the respect of being her uncle. But now she could “confidently say justice has been served”.
Her offender, a father, did not look at his victim as she gave her courageous statement. He instead sat emotionless beside his wife, with no-one else on their side of the courtroom.
On the other end of the room, rows were packed with people sitting near the survivor.
While sentencing the man, Magistrate Towney said he exploited the fact the assault happened during a difficult time for the family due to several illnesses.
“It took place in a home which should’ve been a safe place for the victim,” she said.
“He has caused emotional injury to the victim which changed her personality during an important time and age. (He) has shown no remorse and has very limited prospects of rehabilitation”.
The man maintained his innocence but was ultimately found guilty of the four charges.
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He was sentenced to an aggregate term of five years in jail with a non-parole period of three years and six months.
He will be eligible for parole on March 12, 2027.
The man did not look at or interact with his wife or any other person in the courtroom as he was led to custody.
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