A father has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for what a judge described as the "reprehensible" sexual abuse of four young girls while they were having sleepovers with his daughter at his home in Perth's northern suburbs.
The 45-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victims, pleaded guilty to almost 40 child sex offences, committed between 2012 and 2016 when the victims were aged between five and eight.
The District Court was told the man targeted the girls while they were asleep and took photos and video recordings of the abuse, some of which took place over a three-hour period.
He also pleaded guilty to taking indecent photos and videos of three other girls who were on playdates at his home, where police discovered up to 2 million images and videos of child pornography stored on electronic devices.
The man was also found to have traded child pornography images on an internet chat site.
The court heard the abuse came to light after two of the girls, who were related to the man, told their parents what had happened.
Girls showed 'remarkable courage': judge
Judge Stephen Lemonis said two of the girls had told investigators they were awake while they were being abused, and that they were terrified, scared and crying.
He paid tribute to what he called their "remarkable courage" in describing what had happened to them, saying the man must have been aware the girls were awake and distressed.
The court had heard some of the parents told investigators the man was "persistent" in organising the sleepovers and playdates, with Judge Lemonis saying he had been creating opportunities to commit the offences.
He accepted the man was remorseful and apologetic, but said he had taken advantage of the victims and grossly abused the trust of their parents.
The man will have to serve eight years behind bars before he can be released.
With time already served, he will first be eligible for release on parole in 2025.
