THREE victims abused by their "monster" stepfather have spoken of the devastating, destructive impacts his crimes have wreaked on their lives. Their abuser, a lay preacher who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at the Supreme Court in Hobart on Monday. The North-West man earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of maintaining a relationship with a person under the age of 17, and one count of indecent assault. The 72-year-old has also pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting 11 boys throughout the 1970s and 1980s. One woman was only 10 when her stepfather began abusing her in the early 1970s, which continued into her teenage years. The man assaulted her regularly, telling her on several occasions "I just came in to say goodnight". He wore a large, heavy crucifix around his neck, which the woman still vividly remembers slapping against his chest. In a victim impact statement, the woman said the abuse left her feeling powerless. The woman said exposing her abuse was the hardest thing she had ever done, with the experience giving her nightmares and panic attacks. "My family, work and health all fell apart," she said. Her sister was 13 years old when the man assaulted her. The woman said she was haunted by his cold dominance and fearlessness. The court heard she was disgusted, hurt and angry at a man who stole the beauty from her world, and disappointed in her mother, who stayed with him. Their brother was 12 years old when the man began assaulting him, which continued for about four years. He told the court he had resolved never to speak of his abuse, silently shouldering the burden to keep his family together. None of the children were aware the others were being abused, and two of them did not report it to police until last year. The man has been remanded in custody to reappear in court on Wednesday.
THREE victims abused by their "monster" stepfather have spoken of the devastating, destructive impacts his crimes have wreaked on their lives.
Their abuser, a lay preacher who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at the Supreme Court in Hobart on Monday.
The North-West man earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of maintaining a relationship with a person under the age of 17, and one count of indecent assault.
The 72-year-old has also pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting 11 boys throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
One woman was only 10 when her stepfather began abusing her in the early 1970s, which continued into her teenage years.
The man assaulted her regularly, telling her on several occasions "I just came in to say goodnight".
He wore a large, heavy crucifix around his neck, which the woman still vividly remembers slapping against his chest.
In a victim impact statement, the woman said the abuse left her feeling powerless.
The woman said exposing her abuse was the hardest thing she had ever done, with the experience giving her nightmares and panic attacks.
"My family, work and health all fell apart," she said.
Her sister was 13 years old when the man assaulted her.
The woman said she was haunted by his cold dominance and fearlessness.
The court heard she was disgusted, hurt and angry at a man who stole the beauty from her world, and disappointed in her mother, who stayed with him.
Their brother was 12 years old when the man began assaulting him, which continued for about four years.
He told the court he had resolved never to speak of his abuse, silently shouldering the burden to keep his family together.
None of the children were aware the others were being abused, and two of them did not report it to police until last year.
The man has been remanded in custody to reappear in court on Wednesday.
