Mum jailed for sexual abuse of daughter

Mum jailed for sexual abuse of daughter

AUSTRALIA - An Australian mother who sexually abused her daughter to maintain the affection of her boyfriend has been sentenced to 5½ years in jail, reports said on Friday.

The South Australian District Court heard that the woman, 35, had abused the 10-year-old girl and photographed the encounters to gratify her 37-year-old partner, who was a teacher.

She also has sex with him in front of her daughter after photographing him repeatedly raping the girl.

"This was very serious offending against a defenceless child by the very people who should have been protecting, not offending against, her," Judge Simon Stretton said, domestic news agency Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported. "You were her mother, for goodness' sake."

The woman was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse, indecent assault and producing child pornography.

The man pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and to producing and possessing child pornography, AFP reported.

The pair were sentenced to 5½ years with 3½ years non-parole period.

ABERRANT

The court heard that the woman had been terrified of losing her boyfriend, but Judge Stretton said they were both "willing participants in the aberrant sexual activity performed in this matter".

"(This was) a gross breach of trust and a gross exploitation of a vulnerable child... worse still, that child was your daughter," he said.

The crime was discovered after police uncovered the photographs as they investigated the teacher because of suspicious online conversations.

"He was good to you and you became determined to please him and for the relationship to survive at all costs," the judge told the woman, according to AAP.

A report on ABC News said the court had earlier heard that the woman, who had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, had been deeply insecure and inordinately afraid of being alone.

It also reported that the man's lawyer told the court that his client had a "deluded concept of sexual experimentation".


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