Sex assault dad claims satanic possession

A 53-year-old man who assaulted his two daughters over a period of 10 years, claiming he was possessed by the Devil, was sentenced to seven years in jail today.

The man appeared in Wellington District Court on four charges of unlawful sexual conduct, two charges of indecent assault, two of assault with a blunt instrument and three single charges of assault.

The court was told the man had indecently assaulted one daughter from 1997 when she was aged six until September last year.

In addition to the sexual assault she suffered, the man also physically punished his daughters using weapons that included a belt and a vacuum cleaner pipe.

On one occasion he attacked one of his daughters when he saw her walking home from Bible studies with a boy.

Judge John Walker said he was disturbed by a pre-sentencing report which said the man did not accept responsibility for his actions, instead claiming he had been possessed by the Devil.

However, defence lawyer Geoff Fulton said the man did accept responsibility and that blaming the event on possession by the Devil was his way of rationalising the terrible things he had done.

A psychiatric report found the man did not suffer from any mental illness.

Judge Walker said the man's offending was very serious and had had a devastating effect on the family.