Man sexually abused by his father as a young child asks judge for leniency in sentencing

Letters were written by the defendant’s other adult children where they too asked for leniency for their father, who is currently serving a sentence for sexual assault of a girl

One of the defendant's adult children said: 'I don’t forgive or forget what he has done but I do love him — we all do.' Picture: Larry Cummins

A 70-year-old man who was convicted of the sexual abuse of his youngest son when the child was aged between five and nine faced sentencing on Tuesday, but the victim and the defendant’s other children wrote letters to the judge asking for leniency for their father.

While the victim — who is now in his mid-20s — presented his victim impact statement where he told the accused he was his father in name only, and the sexual abuse had seriously impacted his life, the young man also presented another document to the court, namely a letter written to the sentencing judge appealing for leniency.