A MAN who indecently abused a girl as young as eight over a period of several years has been jailed for six years.
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Richard Kimball is behind bars after the aggravated indecent assaults on the girl in the Liverpool Plains between 2007 and 2014.
In front of the victim's family in Tamworth District Court Judge Deborah Payne jailed Kimball, ordering him to stay behind bars until at least late 2024.
The now 71-year-old, who first went into custody this month ahead of his sentencing, appeared via video link in court from Tamworth Correctional Centre.
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Judge Payne said Kimball committed six offences on five occasions over a period of six years and 10 months.
"When the complainant was aged 8 to 14 years old," she told the court.
Some of the details cannot be reported for legal reasons, but the court heard the victim was eight years old at the time of one of the offences when Kimball indecently assaulted her.
On one occasion he inappropriately touched her when she was aged eight or nine while she was bouncing on the bed, and on another occasion "the victim pushed the prisoner away" when he touched her.
In 2010, Kimball indecently assaulted her, and she was crying and shaking and "the prisoner stopped".
"She was 10 years of age at the time," Judge Payne detailed.
Judge Payne said children "are powerless" in environments like this, because most of the offending was committed while the victim was visiting his home, and that "makes it more serious".
"Courts must impose significant sentences in respect of child sexual assaults and assaults of this type," she said.
"The court can see a heartfelt victim impact statement ... clearly demonstrates a truly horrible effect this offending has had on the victim."
Judge Payne said Kimball was entitled to a discount because he had pleaded guilty to each of the offences at an early opportunity, and had given police a two-page document "which he made admissions to [his] sexual conduct to his victim".
He also made admissions in conversations with the victim, and presented to Oxley detectives in February last year where he was charged.
His defence had submitted there was remorse because "he came forward and made admissions to the behaviour he engaged in."
The court was presented with an apology letter from the offender, along with a psychological report on his background. He had a clear record prior to this.
Judge Payne said in his apology letter, Kimball detailed that "I got out of bed shamed and horrified for what I had done".
She said Kimball "can not explain why this occurred" and "can't live with shame", but regretted his behaviour.
She imposed various sentences for each of the offences but jailed him for an aggregate term of six years, with a minimum of three years and nine months behind bars.
Kimball will be eligible for parole in December 2024.
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