Sex monster bullied his adopted daughter

By Roger Pearson

A BULLYING sex monster who forced his adopted daughter to remain upside-down in a laundry basket has been jailed for seven years.

The man, who has been living in Herne Bay but who can't be named for legal reasons, also repeatedly sexually abused the girl over a two-year period.

Chelmsford Crown Court was told that, among other things, the man also taunted his adopted daughter when he committed the offences while living in both Essex and Kent, telling her: "Your dad's not here to help you any more."

Although he was cleared of four sex offences against his natural daughter, the 43-year-old was found guilty of ten specimen offences of indecent assault and gross indecency on the adopted daughter up to 2004.

He also admitted two offences of child cruelty to the adopted daughter and must remain on the sex offenders' register for life.

The court had been told that as well as forcing the girl into the laundry basket, he had also "slapped her hard".

Prosecutor Andrew McGee said the offences were committed when the man had been drinking or was drunk. Some offences took place every day or every other day.

Mr McGee continued: "When his adopted daughter asked him to stop he said 'I'm your daddy now, your dad's not here to help you anymore'.

"He would often discipline her in a way that amounts to bullying and even his wife who witnessed the child cruelty offences was cowered by him.

"He was bullying, verbally aggressive and controlling when in drink and sometimes physically violent to objects and people."

Although he claimed "lies" were being told about him, the man declined to give evidence at previous hearings or the sentencing on Monday last week.

But his adopted daughter had told jurors: "Strict was not the word – it was always him who would discipline. He hit me excessively and I was punished in several ways."

She went on: "I wasn't allowed to watch TV in my bedroom – everything was taken out. I remember just having a crayon.

"My bedroom was completely empty – it was all in boxes underneath my bed and then taken out.

"I was never allowed to go out, only in the back garden – or once around the front garden area – I could never go to the park with friends."