A clinical psychologist has been sentenced to nine months' jail and ordered to pay reparation of $10,000 to a victim he admitted sexually abusing in Christchurch in 1992 when she was seven.
Judge David Wilson, QC, said Stephen Andrew Gilmore, 37, could apply for home detention. He lifted Gilmore's interim name suppression.
Gilmore was a Waitemata District Health Board psychologist until he resigned last Monday.
Judge Wilson wondered aloud in the North Shore District Court yesterday whether he could find it appropriate to impose anything less than imprisonment on Gilmore. "I regret to say I cannot," he told the court.
Gilmore had earlier pleaded guilty to one representative charge of inducing a seven-year-old to perform an indecent act, an offence carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years' jail.
The court heard that from 1990 to 1993 Gilmore was in a relationship with the complainant's mother and as a family all three lived in Christchurch.
Gilmore used to get the girl to walk on his back for massage. After one such occasion Gilmore wanted the girl to masturbate him.
When she was reluctant Gilmore "showed her what you wanted her to do", said the judge.
Judge Wilson said Gilmore was remorseful and cried afterwards but he took advantage of the girl on another occasion. The judge said he had been asked to consider Gilmore's depressed state, his poor self image and relationship difficulties at the time.
In the intervening period Gilmore had become an honourable and respected member of society who had stood back from dealing with children.
The judge said the episode had been hidden away until last year when it came out after contact between the complainant and the police.
Reports showed the complainant's mother was also a victim.
As for the complainant, the judge said: "Rather than being a fairly stroppy seven-year-old she became shut-down and reclusive."
When she was 12 she had suicidal thoughts.
"As a stepfather or mother's partner you offended against this child in her own home where she was entitled to feel safe."
He said a term of 18 months' imprisonment was appropriate but because of Gilmore's guilty plea it was reduced to 12 months. A further reduction of three months was due to Gilmore's remorse.
The health board said Gilmore had been on sick leave since January.
Psychologist jailed for abusing child
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