The girl was only 13 when she got into a relationship with her much older uncle. Photo / 123rf
The girl was only 13 when she got into a relationship with her much older uncle. Photo / 123rf
WARNING: This story details sexual abuse against a minor and may be upsetting.
The high school student appeared like any other schoolgirl her age, but behind closed doors, she had been sexually abused by her 32-year-old uncle since she was 13.
The girl was supplied cannabis and later methamphetamine and expected to provide for her uncle’s sexual needs every morning before walking to school.
The man’s own history of abuse also came to light during his sentencing in the Whangārei District Court, where he said babysitters had abused him as a child.
The court heard how the man - who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim - moved in with the girl’s family when he had nowhere to go.
One night the uncle woke his 13-year-old niece to have a “cone” of cannabis with him, and after they sat at the kitchen table, he had sex with the young teen.
From this moment on, the man would have regular and ongoing sexual intercourse with the girl.
She described the offending as giving her a feeling of “emptiness”, and of it being her “new normal”.
When the girl was 15, the uncle moved out of the family’s house with her into a rented cabin and claimed a benefit through the Ministry of Social Development, stating she was his dependent.
But his caregiving role with regard to the girl was much more sinister, and he regularly groomed her with “a cone” of cannabis in exchange for sex, according to an agreed summary of facts.
The man took advantage of the situation, including by ensuring the girl gave in to his sexual needs every morning before she showered, put on her uniform and walked to school.
She was told not to tell anyone or she would get in trouble.
The abuse continued until she was 21, and the drug-taking progressed to methamphetamine.
Both the Crown and defence counsel referred to the uncle and niece as being in a “relationship” by the time she was an adult.
One night, the man accused the girl of cheating on him and punched her repeatedly in the head, covering her mouth for almost two minutes so she could not breathe.
The next day, she told him she was “cheating” and he beat her so badly she went to the police.
The man faced multiple charges, including sexual connection with a dependent family member, and pleaded guilty a day into his jury trial this year.
The man moved into a rented cabin with the girl when she was 15 years old and continued the secret relationship.
Crown lawyer Richard Annandale said the offences were some of the worst he had seen as the man put himself in a position where he was the primary caregiver for the child.
“That is a factor that elevates her vulnerability,” Annandale said.
Defence lawyer Oscar Hintze said his client’s psychological reports had a number of comments that “stuck out” and he was unlikely to address his offending while incarcerated because he was “in love” with his victim.
Hintze said it appeared the “relationship” was ongoing.
“His own abuse, perpetrated by babysitters, in which he said he enjoyed the abuse, has distorted his views.
“When he is eventually released, whether or not he gets back together with her ... as an adult, she can do what she likes,” Hintze said.
“I would think before his Parole Board hearing, he wouldn’t have done anything to address his offending.”
Judge Gene Tomlinson said the man had a warped view of relationships and his own sexual abuse history had blurred boundaries between family members and sexual partners.
“What is so often tragic, and what I have struggled with reconciling, is victims of sexual violence in their young formative years so often ... go on to repeat that harm on others, such as your niece.
“She was threatened and kept it a secret with her 32-year-old uncle, having a shower, going to high school, with nobody knowing what she was enduring each and every single day.
“It’s despicable – the supplying of drugs facilitated your ongoing offending. The harm to your niece, to her future, will never be known.
“I decline any discount for remorse - I don’t see it. I am desperately concerned you still think this is all okay,” Judge Tomlinson said.
The man was sentenced to five years and two months’ imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of two years and six months.
Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.
