WARNING: THIS STORY INCLUDES CONTENT THAT MAY DISTURB
When a teenage girl with special needs was raped by her Sunshine Coast mother just months after coming out of foster care, family members tried to get her to withdraw the complaint.
But the child refused, insisting to police she was telling the truth about the mother-of-eight.
The child, who has cerebral palsy, scoliosis and a severe intellectual impairment, requires extensive assistance from caregivers as she suffers seizures, incontinence and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The 45-year-old mother, who cannot be named to protect her daughter’s identity, pleaded guilty in Maroochydore District Court to two charges of rape, eight of indecent dealing with a person with an impairment of the mind and two charges of common assault.
She committed the crimes from March 2021 just months after insisting the then 16-year-old live with her after leaving foster care where she had been from a young age.
During one encounter the woman undressed and instructed her daughter to remove her school uniform before kissing and digitally raping her.
The teen told her mother to stop and that she did not like what was being done.
“You proceeded to tell the complainant that you had to do it and you were doing it because you loved her and because you were her mother,” judge Gary Long told the woman during sentencing.
“Nothing could be further from the truth.”
The offending was aggravated by the domestically violent nature of it, Judge Long told the woman, according to sentencing remarks published last week.
The offending was particularly reprehensible due to the breach of trust, and the daughter’s vulnerability and degradation.
Judge Long said the impact on the teen included what appeared to be some influence by family members to withdraw her complaint. But she instead continued to insist to police she was telling the truth.
The court was told the Sunshine Coast mother had been raped many years prior and had a significant criminal history.
Judge Long sentenced her to four years and six months behind bars for the two rape counts, suspended after serving 18 months.
She received a 68-day prison sentence and three years’ probation for the eight counts of indecent treatment.
The woman had already spent 479 days in custody at the time she was sentenced.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
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