Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Harry Cockburn

Devastated mother warns of internet dating dangers after man raped and tortured her child

An Australian woman has spoken out about the dangers of internet dating after a man she met online repeatedly raped her five-year-old daughter.

The man had portrayed himself online as a loving father and had specifically requested to meet a woman with a young daughter so his son could play with her.

But six months after the relationship began, the man raped his partner’s daughter while her mother slept, according to Queensland newspaper the Courier Mail.

The girl’s mother said: “He made himself sound good online. You can write anything you want, there's no limits. 

“Someone can be really dodgy but they put up all their good photos and treat you really well. I'll never do online dating again.

“They can spend a long time trying to get your confidence.”

A Brisbane court jailed the man for 10 years after he pleaded guilty to charges of rape, torture and possession of child pornography.

 

The daughter reportedly tried to tell her mother about the abuse.  

The mother said: “She told me, but he said he would never do anything like that and I believed him over her; I thought he was okay.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.