A Lapstone man who assaulted young girls in the mid-1980s at his home has been sentenced to two and a half years jail.
Ivan Metcalfe, now aged in his 80s, was found guilty of eight counts of indecent and sexual assault of girls he had encouraged to come to swim in his backyard pool.
Judge Stephen Hanley, who sentenced Metcalfe in Penrith District Court on Wednesday, said he had “groomed” the girls – some as young as six – to satisfy his “overwhelming sexual interest in female children”.
He befriended the girls, exposed them to pornography, walked naked around them and in the pool, masturbated in front of them and encouraged them to engage in sexual activity with him.
Within the small Lapstone community, parents felt they could trust their children with him without any other adults there, Judge Hanley said.
He found Metcalfe guilty of eight of 10 charges after a special hearing, rather than a trial, because the octogenarian has mild dementia.
The judge ordered him to be taken to the hospital at Long Bay Jail to serve his sentence. His case will also be referred to the Mental Health Review Board.
Metcalfe used a walking frame to get in to the courtroom and also had oxygen with him. Judge Hanley said he had heart disease, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy and sleep apnoea.
The judge said he had to apply the penalties that existed at the time of the offences which were “markedly more lenient and would now be regarded as inadequate”.
He noted Metcalfe had voluntarily ceased his criminal activity many years ago and had not offended for a long time.
But he also said the emotional impact on the girls had been “substantial”.
“This had a devastating impact on their lives – it affected their quality and enjoyment of life … their ability to form close and personal relationships.”
Outside the court, the mother of one of the victims said it had been a long and difficult ordeal for those who came forward about the abuse.
Her daughter and one of her friends had both suffered breakdowns and ended up in hospital after “bottling it up for many years”.
She said even after they’d revealed the abuse, they still felt confusion and guilt.
“It’s very, very hard on the victims.” she said. “I don’t think anyone understands unless you’ve been through it how it affects the victims.”