A jury has convicted a 63-year-old man of sexual intercourse with a dependent and indecent assault for abusing his wife’s 16-year-old niece while she was living in his care.
Prosecutors said the girl moved into the household in 2018 and initially trusted the accused as a father figure. She told the court he began entering her bedroom at night and touching her while his son slept nearby. She also testified that in November 2018 he drove her to a remote farm, threatened her, and forced her to submit.
The accused denied the allegations, claiming the teenager initiated the encounters and offered sexual favors. He also told jurors that erectile dysfunction prevented intercourse, a claim supported by his wife’s testimony.
The jury acquitted him of rape but found him guilty of sexual intercourse with a dependent and indecent assault.
