Brett David Hill, the sexual predator who kidnapped and raped an 11-year-old girl at Adamstown Heights last year, has been jailed for a maximum of 23 years and six months in Newcastle District Court.
The young girl courageously confronted Hill in court on Tuesday and read a powerful victim impact statement that outlined the profound effects the attack has had on her.
Looking Hill in the eye before she began to speak, the girl's voice never wavered as she articulated the deep emotional trauma she is suffering.
"Today, tomorrow and for years ahead I will forever be scarred," the young girl said.
"You stole my body that day and you also stole my happiness and my life as I knew it."
Hill also took the stand, crying as he claimed he felt genuine remorse for what he had done.
But he also made a halfhearted attempt to blame synthetic cannabis or "bath salts" for his behaviour and actions on the day he kidnapped the young girl.
But that attempt at mitigation was quickly abandoned under cross-examination from Crown prosecutor Lee Carr, SC, and Hill admitted he knew exactly what he was doing.
Judge Roy Ellis sentenced Hill to a maximum of 23 years and six months, with a non-parole period of 17 years.
Hill will be eligible for parole in 2035 at the age of 64.
Hill, now 49, detained the girl as she was walking through Hudson Park about 9.15am on June 12, 2018, and sexually assaulted her a number of times, including at an unknown bush location, during a five-hour abduction.
The crimes triggered widespread outrage and hysteria like few criminal offences have in Newcastle in recent memory, sparked an investigation by police and a manhunt by members of the public who searched for the man in the red Holden Commodore.
Hill was arrested four days later in Beaumont Street, Hamilton driving the red Commodore.
He initially pleaded guilty to detaining the girl and sexually assaulting her, but denied a number of other more serious sexual assault allegations.
Those matters were expected to be the subject of a trial in October, but Hill pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated sexual assault with a victim under the age of 16.
However, Hill's late guilty pleas did not spare the young girl from having to come to court and give evidence.
The girl had already given her evidence during a pre-recording, a method routinely used for child victims and complainants of sexual assault.
