A policeman who served for four decades in the force has been jailed for 20 years after sexually abusing his two young stepdaughters.
The 64-year-old’s shocking crimes were aired in the Adelaide District Court, where it was heard he abused the girls from when they were aged six to 12.
He denied the offending but was found guilty by a judge on two counts of maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child and one count of aggravated assault.
The policeman, who can’t be identified, is from regional South Australia, and the court heard that his role in the force left the girls feeling they had nobody to report the abuse to.
A policeman with four decades in the force has been jailed for 20 years after sexually abusing his two young stepdaughters (stock image)
‘This was serious offending against two girls who had a right to your protection. Your abuse of them is a breach of trust,’ Judge Gordon Barrett said, The Advertiser reported.
‘Although you are a person of otherwise good character, your occupation as a police officer was part of the reason why the girls felt that they could not complain about what you were doing.
‘Effectively, they thought there was no-one to complain to.’
The former policeman was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years behind bars, and is forbidden from contacting either of the girls in any way.
The man has since become engaged to a woman he met on a dating app, although the pair are yet to meet in person.
The former cop has lodged an application to appeal the conviction.
A court hearing has been listed for November.
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