'Evil' dad who raped daughter jailed

A Far North man - described as 'evil' by a judge, has been jailed for 11 years for the rape and indecent assault of his daughter. Photo / NZ Herald

A Far North man has been jailed for 11 years after he was found guilty of raping and indecently assaulting his daughter.

Passing sentence in the Kaikohe District Court on Friday, Judge John McDonald said the crimes were a serious breach of trust.

"She should have expected love and protection from you, that you would protect her from the evils of the world - instead you were the evil," he said.

The man, who cannot be named because that would identify the victim, was found guilty in a jury trial in October of nine charges of unlawful sexual connection, two of indecent assault and one of rape.

The charges related to six incidents in Kaeo, Auckland and Paihia, the first when the girl was 8 years old, the last six to seven years later. Most occurred when the victim was visiting her father in Northland for holidays and long weekends.

During the trial the man maintained his daughter was making up the allegations to get back at him for disapproving of a young man she was seeing, and telling her off for bunking school.

The jury, however, believed the girl's word over her father's, Judge McDonald said.

While there was no overt or gratuitous violence, all but the first incident involved planning and premeditation, and the victim's age made her vulnerable.

The offending was a serious breach of trust and had caused her serious harm, which was clear from her victim impact statement.

"She states that she hates you, and never wants to see you again," the judge told the defendant.

He was sentenced to 11 years in jail with a minimum five-year non-parole period. The judge also imposed a protection order for the victim and her mother.