A Sydney paedophile will spend at least 24 years behind bars despite claiming his four-year abuse of a teenager was consensual because they “acted like husband and wife”.
Timothy James Stewart, who represented himself at trial, groomed, drugged and sexually abused a girl when she was aged between 12 and 15.
The Sydney District Court heard the 45-year-old also filmed the abuse for his own sexual gratification, the footage of which was found on a dozen SD memory cards found hidden in the lining of a jacket.
He pleaded guilty to 99 charges relating to the abuse and a jury found him guilty of a further 28, including drugging the girl and her mother as well as indecently assaulting her 11-year-old sister.
Judge Paul Conlon described Stewart’s grooming as “total, complete and overwhelming”.
“This vile and indecent obsession with (the girl) … involved an abhorrent breach of trust,” he said.
“This type of offending is simply incomprehensible.”
He added the girl was “virtually reduced to an inanimate object” when she was drugged by Stewart.
While receiving his sentencing, Stewart showed little emotion until prosecutors told the court the victims consented to his name being published.
“I’m already at high risk … of violence (in prison),” he immediately protested from the dock.
Judge Conlon replied: “You are in that category as a result of these matters.”
Outside the court, the victim said she didn’t expect such a lengthy sentence.
“I don’t think he’ll be coming out any time in my life, so I’m pretty happy,” she said.
In September, the victim revealed the impact of the prolonged abuse, describing it as “devastating, profound and far-reaching”.
