A MAN who had sex with his 14-year-old sister-in-law in the flat where they lived was yesterday given a suspended sentence after the High Court heard that the girl's family had forgiven him.
The man, 33, whom the judge ordered should not be named, had pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16.
Deputy Judge Daniell said the man had acted disgracefully in taking advantage of his relationship with the victim and he would have sent him to jail immediately if he had not pleaded guilty, sparing her the ordeal of testifying.
The court heard the first offence happened in September 1992 after the girl returned home injured after a bicycle ride. The brother-in-law rubbed bruise ointment on her back and then caressed the girl's private parts. He then had intercourse with her.
The man had sex a second time with the girl, who was by this time 15, in the early hours of January 16 this year while she was asleep on the mattress in the living room.
In mitigation, Raymond Yu said the man was a quantity surveyor earning about $30,000 a month, who supported his wife's family, his wife and two-year-old son.