A father has been jailed for 16 months for playing "secret" sexual games with his six-year-old daughter.
The man - who cannot be named because it would identify his victim - acted out sexual scenarios with the girl on several occasions at his home in Richmond over the course of a year.
Calling it the "naked game," the middle-aged father carried out a number of sex acts on the girl, too graphic to be published.
The six-year-old had been visiting her father overnight as part of the visitation arrangement with the girl's mother, from whom the man was separated after a long relationship.
The sexual abuse came to light after the girl returned to her mother's home and later revealed that her father had touched her. The mother then notified the RCMP about her daughters revelations.
And after police arrested the dad in the early hours of the morning, blankets and towels were seized from his home as evidence.
Initially, he said no comment, when asked about the incidents and that he never sexually assaulted her. He also mentioned to police that he never crossed the line.
But he later admitted that his actions were inappropriate and thats why Im here.
On Feb. 23 later year, 12 days after his daughter had told her mother about the touching, the father met with an RCMP officer and told that he wanted to plead guilty and that he wanted to set his family free.
He later broke down and confessed in detail to the abuse, although he claimed he was so intoxicated during the first incident, he cant recall how it came about.
The man, who has no previous convictions, told the officer that hed decided to come forward after watching an episode of the TV show Desperate Housewives, where a character was told by someone that the truth will set you free.
Richmond Provincial Court was told Thursday how the girl later went into more details about being touched by her father and how they kissed each other on three occasions.
The mother and a family member, who were in court for the sentencing hearing, hugged and comforted each other throughout proceedings.
A pre-sentence report on the father told how he held down a decent job and how all his previous partners had been age-appropriate and that hed never previously shown any interest in children.
Crown counsel Selina Chu told the court how she had trouble with what she deemed to be the accuseds serious lack of insight into the harm he has inflicted on the child.
The report went into how the man had a crack cocaine addiction in 2006 and how, after beating that addiction, he went onto smoke marijuana in a social setting from time to time.
Now dealing with an alcohol problem, the man indicated in the report that hed be open to being treated for his alcohol abuse.
Referring to the victim impact statement, Chu described how the family are understandably devastated with many of them now going through therapy to cope.
The (victim) is now drawn to older men and is experiencing problems at school, said Chu.
In the report, the man told how he was disgusted with himself and that he tales full responsibility for his actions.
However, Chu pointed out that the father then adds that he succumbed to his daughter and denies having paedophilic thoughts.
The doctor who authored the report states that the accused doesnt accept the circumstances and shows likelihood to re-offend, and that there are significant risk factors for future offending.
Although, according to the doctor, there was no evidence of predatory behaviour from the accused, other children in his care in the future could be at risk.
The court also heard how the girls mother now suffers from severe stress and anxiety and is worried about the choices her child will now make in the future.
Before sentence was passed, defence lawyer, John Waddington, told Judge Ron Fratkin how his client was awash with remorse and how he pled guilty at the very beginning so no one had to go to court.
He knows that doesnt fix anything he expects to go to jail today. The range is 12 to 18 months, I think it should 12 months.
Arguing for the lower jail time, Waddington said his client recognized he needs to be punished and is motivated to receive the treatment he needs.
The father had earlier pled guilty to sexual interference with a person under the age of 16. As well as the jail term, Judge Ron Fratkin ordered a three-year probation upon the man's release.
Fratkin said he acknowledged the guilty plea, but said that he wasnt satisfied to lean towards the lower range of jail time because the accused only went to the police when the jig was up and that a grown man shouldnt be succumbing to a young girl, as stated by the father.
The courts punish people, but also hold out hope for those who want help, added the judge.
Part of the mans prison time will include treatment for his behaviour and his probation will involve participation in a sex offenders program.
