Father sentenced to 26½ months for sexual conduct with his daughter

In Hamilton District Court, a man in his 50s received a 26½-month prison term after a jury convicted him of two offenses of sexual conduct with a child under 16, involving his daughter aged 10 to 14. The convictions stemmed from a shower incident where he entered the bathroom with her and a later episode in which he forcibly kissed her with his tongue. He maintained his innocence throughout the trial, claiming the events never occurred.

Judge Stephen Clark emphasized the premeditated and predatory nature of the conduct, noting the breach of parental trust and the victim’s subsequent isolation and mental-health challenges. The father’s wife testified that he was the family’s breadwinner, a point the prosecutor argued should not mitigate the sentence. The court rejected any credit for remorse, resulting in the 26½-month term.