A Norlane man who sexually assaulted a child has been jailed for seven years.
David Brian Kilner, 57, was found guilty in the County Court in October of last year on three charges of sexually assaulting a child and one charge of sexual penetration and was sentenced last Friday to a minimum of seven years jail without parole.
Judge Michael Tinney described Kilner’s serious sexual offending as “abhorrent conduct”.
“There was no remorse in this case..there plainly isn’t,” Judge Tinney said.
“I do denounce your conduct, you have committed serious crimes…those crimes have produced a large impact upon the victim and her mother, how could they not.
“There was no remorse in this case..there plainly isn’t,” he said.
During a plea hearing at the end of January, the victim bravely detailed the physical and mental abuse she suffered at his hands.
In a statement read out to the court, the victim said Kilner’s abuse left her suspicious of new people, “isolated” and “lonely”.
“Physically since being sexually abused, I have had difficulties being touched,” she said.
“My physical health is not good. I always feel anxious and don’t feel safe.
“Since being abused I struggle with depression and anxiety which make being in the world really hard.”
The court heard the victim had developed trust issues and found it difficult to regulate her emotions.
She told the court she had to quit her studies because her anxiety was “off the charts”.
“I feel a lot of shame. I know it wasn’t my fault, I was just a kid,” she said.
“I find it hard to have hope about my future, I feel like I don’t deserve to have happiness.
“It’s easier not to have hope, people don’t understand how hard everything is for me, I put on a brave face all the time.”
Kilner also pleaded guilty to one charge of using a carriage service to harass or offend, relating to messages he sent the victim.
The messages were sexually suggestive and included photos of people in sex positions and strange cartoon images.
Kilner called the victim “babe” and “darling” in text messages, and also sent a message saying “I’m waiting for you, wish you were here”.
