Canberra grandfather who sexually abused two-year-old granddaughter jailed for more than 15 years
A Canberra grandfather has been sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court to more than 15 years in jail after pleading guilty to a series of child sex offences, including against his own granddaughter.
The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to six offences including possessing and sharing child abuse material on the internet, grooming a child online overseas, and persistent child sex abuse against his two-year-old granddaughter.
The court heard police found a gallery of nearly 900 separate images on his devices, as well as a document titled The Paedophile's Handbook.
Acting ACT Supreme Court Judge Michael Elkaim said the content of the material was abhorrent as he outlined the details, including how the man had paid money to people overseas to groom a young child.
In her victim impact statement, the offender's daughter told the court she had no contact with her father for a number of years, but that changed when she fell ill and needed help.
"I was vulnerable," the woman told the court.
She said she had accepted help from her father because she had formed the view at the time that life was too short to hold onto the past, and she told herself he had changed.
The woman told the court her now four-year-old daughter was burdened with fear and confusion, and had been robbed of her innocence and joy in life.
"His actions have shattered every aspect of her life," she told the court.
She asked the court to impose a sentence which would protect other families from her father.
The court heard evidence that the man suffers from PTSD, depression and anxiety.
"I accept he has significant mental health problems," Acting Justice Elkaim said.
"I do not accept these problems in any way excuse his conduct."
The man told one pre-sentence report author his actions were "wrong and stupid".
"He is right," Acting Justice Elkaim said.
Acting Justice Elkaim said the sentence must be harsh.
"The offences were extensive, graphic and depraved," he said.
The man was sentenced to 15 years, nine months and 26 days in jail, and he won't be eligible for parole until 2034.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


SBS Australia
an hour ago
- SBS Australia
SBS News in Filipino, Wednesday 9 July 2025
Interest rate pinanatili ng Reserve Bank sa antas nito sa kabila na inaasahang ibababa ito. The Northern Territory's police chief admits racism in the force is a problem after Kumanjayi Walker inquest, and pledged to stamp out bigotry in its ranks. No more Filipino crew will be deployed on ships crossing the Red Sea, the Department of Migrant Workers has warned ship owners after recent alleged Houthi attacks. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST SBS Filipino 09/07/2025 07:12 Filipino 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino 📲 Catch up episodes and stories – Visit or stream on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Youtube Podcasts , and SBS Audio app.


SBS Australia
an hour ago
- SBS Australia
Nearly six million Qantas records held in hacked system, airline says
Millions of records — covering names, email address, phone numbers and even meal preferences — were held on the Qantas systems accessed in a "cyber incident", the airline says. Qantas said 5.7 million customer records were impacted when a third-party system used by an offshore call centre was hacked at the end of June. It added that there is "no evidence" that personal data stolen from Qantas has been released, but was contacting customers to let them know what data of theirs was held in the system that was breached. The majority of the records — four million — contained names, email addresses and Qantas Frequent Flyer details, with some including tier level, points balance and status credits. The addresses of around 1.3 million, phone numbers of 900,000, and meal preferences of 10,000 customers were held on the system. Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said extra cybersecurity measures have been put in place and a review is underway. She added: "Our absolute focus since the incident has been to understand what data has been compromised for each of the 5.7 million impacted customers and to share this with them as soon as possible." The National Cyber Security Coordinator, Australian Cyber Security Centre and the Australian Federal Police have also been contacted by Qantas.

News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Rebels bikie charged after video emerges of caged cat being shot at point-blank range
A Rebels bikie member has been charged after a video emerged of a caged cat being shot at point-blank range. Police stopped an allegedly stolen Hino truck on Woodville Rd in Villawood in western Sydney on June 2, seizing balaclavas, bolt cutters, gloves and a phone that belonged to a 29-year old driver with links to the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang. Police allege the truck was stolen from Camden Valley Way in Leppington on June 3. Forensics uncovered evidence of firearm use on the phone, including a video of a caged cat being shot and killed at point-blank range. Police went to the Rosemeadow home of a 29-year man and seized a rifle butt, Taser, $18,400 in cash, 170 vials of human growth hormones, CCTV and a Rebels gang member vest. The man was charged with drive conveyance taken without consent, possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing a prescribed restricted substance. He was granted conditional bail in the Parramatta Local Court last Thursday. Police conducted further inquiries and arrested the man again at his Rosemeadow home about 7pm on Tuesday. He was charged with unauthorised use of a prohibited firearm, firing a gun in a manner likely to injure a person or property and torturing an animal to cause death. He was refused bail and is due to appear in the Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday.