Trigger warning: This story outlines sexual abuse.
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A MAN will return to Bathurst Local Court in November to be sentenced after pleading guilty to inappropriately touching his niece.
The man - who cannot legally be identified - pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on September 13, 2023 to intentionally sexually touching a child under the age of 16.
Police documents before the court said the man touched the child, rubbing her shoulder, back, thighs, buttocks and stomach, on a number of occasions in a bedroom at a family home in Carcoar between mid-May and July in 2023.
The victim was frozen in fear on each occasion, as the man - who is her biological uncle - said nothing as he touched her, according to police documents.
On a separate occasion, the victim was lying under a blanket on the man's bed with her brother at about 10pm in June.
According to police, the man got under the blanket with the victim and rubbed her stomach from underneath her jumper, before he slid his hand under her tracksuit pants.
After a few minutes, the man took his hand out of the victim's pants and walked out of his bedroom.
Police documents said the man tried on other occasions to sexually touch the child.
The victim told her mother about the incidents, but asked for her not to mention it to the victim's grandparents until they returned from being away.
When the grandparents returned to their home - where the touching took place - they were told what happened.
On August 5, at about 11am, the man went to Carcoar Police Station and said there had been allegations about him touching his niece.
According to police, the man admitted to squeezing the victim's bottom, before he took officers to the home to speak with the victim.
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Police documents said the victim gave an electronically recorded statement about 1.20pm and the man was arrested.
He was taken to Bathurst Police Station, where he said during an interview, according to police, that he was remorseful and apologetic for his actions.
Court appearance
Legal Aid solicitor Keith Kuan entered the plea of guilty to the charge on behalf of the man.
Magistrate Elizabeth Ellis ordered a full sentence assessment report for the man, given the nature of his actions.
The man will return to Bathurst Local Court on November 21 to be sentenced.
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Jay-Anna Mobbs
I am a Senior Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. My career with ACM began in 2018 as a sports reporter in Mudgee, before I moved to Bathurst in 2022 to cover general news and court. I am now based in the Wollongong office, specialising in court reporting.
