Litia Cava 
A 63-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple sexual offences against a 10-year-old girl.
High Court judge Justice Lee Burney handed down the sentence following the offender’s admission to charges including sexual assault and rape.
The offences took place this year in April 2025 at the offender’s home, where the child and her brother frequently visited after school.
Justice Burney highlighted the severity of the crimes, describing the acts as a “gross breach of trust,” noting that the man was the victim’s grand uncle and neighbour.
The abuse included touching the child inappropriately, oral penetration, digital penetration and taking indecent photographs.
The offences came to light when the child’s brother found inappropriate photos on the offender’s phone and alerted their mother.
The mother then reported the matter to the police.
The judge took into account the child’s vulnerability, the grooming involved and the repeated nature of the offences as aggravating factors.
Despite the offender’s age and lack of previous convictions, these factors outweighed any mitigation.
An early guilty plea led to a reduction of the sentence from 15 years to 10 years, with a non-parole period of six years and eight months set.
Justice Burney reiterated the need to protect children and urged the offender to engage in rehabilitation programs while in prison.
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