Scumbag Judges allow Pedophiles to create more victims

A SUPREME Court judge has allowed a prominent Territory sportsman who groped his eight-year-old stepdaughter in front of his own sons to go free.

Friends of the girl's father now want the Director of Public Prosecutions to appeal.

One of the friends said: "This is outrageous. This bloke should have gone to prison."

He said the victim - who was forced to give evidence because the man pleaded not guilty - was confused that her attacker had escaped with a two-year suspended jail sentence. The maximum penalty was 14 years.

The friend said the father - who separated from the girl's mother several years ago and has had children with his second wife - was shocked when his daughter told him about the abuse and had wanted to rush to the man's house and kill him.

"I talked him out of it - I told him he had to stay out of prison himself for the sake of his kids.

"So he went to the police instead."

The man's wife was in court when Justice Angel sentenced him eight days ago and said she would stand by him despite him having twice indecently dealt with her daughter. The couple have two children together.

Both offences took place at the family home in July last year while the mother was at work, the Supreme Court trial heard.

The unemployed man took the girl's hand and placed it on his bare penis "asking her to play with it", Justice Angel said in his sentencing remarks.

A day or two later, the man gave the girl a French kiss and put his hand up her dress and rubbed her near her vagina.

The man's children were in the room on both occasions.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, told the girl not to tell her mother because it would make her jealous.

He also told her the abuse was a "secret" between the two of them.

Justice Angel said the assaults were a "gross breach of trust" - but were "uncharacteristic" and did not think there was a risk the man would commit a similar offence again.

The judge urged the man to find a job - "rather than stay home all the time with your children".

Justice Angel did not order that the man not see the girl again. But the Northern Territory News understands she has gone to live with her father.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"

.........Sarah Tofte