A 54-year-old Kimberley man has been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually abusing his six-year-old niece, after a Broome District Court jury found him guilty of three counts of sexual penetration of a child under 13.
The man, who has not been named to protect the victim, was convicted on Thursday of offences that occurred between June 2016 and June 2017, when the girl was six and seven years old.
Two of the charges related to abuse at Middle Lagoon, about 180 kilometres north of Broome, and the third took place at a residence in Broome. The court heard the victim's evidence via a prerecorded cross-examination. Now 17, she told the court the first assault happened when the man drove her to an isolated area near Middle Lagoon early one morning. She described a second incident at her family home, when the man entered her bedroom at night. She said she did not tell anyone about the assaults until last year.
In her closing address, prosecutor Tracy Tan urged the jury to consider the complainant's credibility, describing her evidence and demeanour as fair, measured and honest. Addressing the delay in disclosure, Ms Tan said traumatic experiences could take a long time to talk about. "It doesn't mean it's not true," she said.
Judge Amanda Burrows told the court the offending was of a serious nature and that the victim had suffered more sexual abuse than what the man was sentenced for. "You assaulted the victim more than five or six times while she was staying at Middle Lagoon," Judge Burrows said. "You are not being punished in relation to that conduct, but it shows this was not in isolation."
The man's sentence has been backdated to August 2026. He will be eligible for parole in 2034.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The conviction shows that historic child sexual abuse cases can be successfully prosecuted despite delays in disclosure and difficulty establishing exact dates, which may encourage other victims to come forward.
- The judge's acknowledgment that the victim suffered additional abuse beyond the charged offences highlights the limitations of the justice system in accounting for the full pattern of offending.
- The case demonstrates that courts can give significant weight to a child victim's testimony given years after the events, when it is assessed as credible and consistent.
Background
The offences took place between June 2016 and June 2017 when the victim was aged six and seven. The abuse occurred at Middle Lagoon, about 180 kilometres north of Broome, and at the family home in Broome. The victim did not disclose the abuse until last year. The case was heard in Broome District Court in October 2026.
Key Perspectives
Prosecutor Tracy Tan: said the complainant's evidence was fair, measured and honest, and argued that a delay in disclosure does not mean abuse did not occur.
Judge Amanda Burrows: said the offending was serious and that the victim had suffered more abuse than the man was sentenced for, describing the assaults as "not in isolation."
What to Watch
- The offender will be eligible for parole in 2034.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says a man was jailed for 10 years for raping his six-year-old niece.Just In: “A Broome man has been sentenced to 10 years' jail for raping his niece several times over a 12-month period.”
- SupportedThe summary says a Broome jury convicted a 54-year-old man on three counts.Just In: “On Thursday, the jury found the man guilty of all three charges.”
- SupportedThe summary says the judge found the victim had suffered additional abuse beyond the offences being sentenced.Just In: “Judge Amanda Burrows told the court the offending was of a serious nature and that the victim had suffered more sexual abuse than what the man was sentenced for.”
- SupportedThe offences occurred between June 2016 and June 2017, when the girl was six and seven.Just In: “The court heard the offences occurred between June 2016 and June 2017 when the girl was aged six and seven”
- SupportedTwo charges concerned abuse at Middle Lagoon and the third concerned a residence in Broome.Just In: “Two of the charges related to abuse at Middle Lagoon, about 180 kilometres north of Broome, and the third took place at a residence in Broome.”
- SupportedThe jury found the man guilty on Thursday.Just In: “On Thursday, the jury found the man guilty of all three charges.”
- SupportedThe victim, now 17, gave evidence in a prerecorded cross-examination played to the court.Just In: “During the trial, the court was played a prerecorded cross-examination of the complainant, now 17.”
- SupportedThe victim testified that the first incident happened when the man drove her to an isolated area near Middle Lagoon early one morning.Just In: “She told the court the first incident occurred 10 years ago while she was staying at Middle Lagoon, when the man took her for a drive about 6am. She said the pair travelled for about five minutes to an isolated area”
- SupportedThe victim said she did not tell anyone about the assaults until last year.Just In: “She said she did not tell anyone about the assaults until last year.”
- SupportedProsecutor Tracy Tan described the complainant’s evidence and demeanour as fair, measured and honest in her closing address.Just In: “In her closing address, prosecutor Tracy Tan urged the jury to consider the complainant's credibility, describing her evidence and demeanour as fair, measured and honest.”
- SupportedThe prosecutor said, “It doesn't mean it's not true.”Just In: “"It doesn't mean it's not true."”
- SupportedJudge Burrows told the man, “You assaulted the victim more than five or six times while she was staying at Middle Lagoon,” and said the conduct showed it was not in isolation.Just In: “"You assaulted the victim more than five or six times while she was staying at Middle Lagoon," Judge Burrows said. "You are not being punished in relation to that conduct, but it shows this was not in isolation."”