Dunedin man jailed for molesting girl on her birthday

Stuart Edge sexually abused two girls who were known to him. Photo / Rob Kidd

A Dunedin man who molested a 4-year-old girl after celebrating her birthday and called a 10-year-old his girlfriend has been jailed for nearly three years.

Stuart Lindsay Edge, 48, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to four charges of indecent assault, encompassing offending against two girls.

Both of the girls were known to the defendant and Crown prosecutor Marie Grills said the families of the victims were still stung by the ''broken trust''.

One of the families was so devastated by Edge's actions they said they would not want any money from him if it was offered.

Defence counsel Cate Andersen said her client was not in a position to compensate the victims, in any case.

Edge first struck in 2015 when the 4-year-old visited his house where they shared a cake to celebrate her birthday.

During her stay she was joined on the couch by the defendant, who slid under a blanket as she was watching cartoons.

Court documents said Edge groped the victim with a ''stroking-tapping motion''.

He touched her on top of her clothes on her rear during the same incident, the court heard.

Nearly two years later, the defendant hosted a 10-year-old girl at his Dunedin home.

During her time at the address, Edge kissed her ''on numerous occasions''.

''He gave her sloppy kisses on the lips and told her that he was her boyfriend,'' a summary of facts said.

On other occasions, the man kissed her on the forehead, face and hand.

Later that week, while the victim was getting breakfast, Edge grabbed her hand and forced it down his pants.

The girl pulled away but the defendant responded by kissing her.

Grills said one of the girls had received counselling but her family was anxious for her to get more, which had not yet been organised through ACC.

Edge was jailed by Judge John Macdonald for two years nine months.

He had previously been given a first-strike warning under the three-strikes legislation.