An ACT man accused of raping his teenage daughter allegedly threatened to slit her throat with a knife after she told relatives about the abuse.
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The man was charged with 15 offences of incest, indecency and assault, related to nine incidents that allegedly occurred between 2012 and late last year, when he appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday.
He has not yet entered pleas.
Documents tendered in court said the man, 55, was arrested after the girl disclosed the alleged abuse to a school psychologist.
The man had allegedly touched the girl inappropriately previously and sexually assaulted her for the first time when she was in her early teens, court documents said.
Afterwards he allegedly smiled and said: "Don't tell anyone" and "Try and be happy".
On another occasion, he allegedly made the girl watch pornography as the rest of the family cooked dinner.
When her mother found out about the alleged abuse and questioned her about it, she said her father had raped her and the woman allegedly told her daughter not to go near him.
Court documents said the girl's father confronted her after she disclosed the ongoing abuse to relatives late last year.
He allegedly grew angry with her and said: "Don't go to sleep because I will get a big knife and cut your throat open."
The girl allegedly told police her father sexually assaulted her several times a week and she had told her mother but nothing had been done to stop it.
The man told police he didn't understand why his daughter would say those things and denied the allegations when he was interviewed after his arrest, court documents said.
He applied for bail when he faced court on Monday and his defence lawyer said the man had significant ties to the territory and he was willing to surrender his overseas passport.
Prosecutor Tom Buckingham opposed bail and said there was very strong motivation for the man to get his daughter to recant her evidence given the seriousness of the charges.
He noted the man's alleged threat to slit her throat if she told anyone what he'd done and said such threats could be extended to other family members if they gave evidence.
Mr Buckingham also argued the man was a potential flight risk and he could interfere with other witnesses who were yet to give statements to police.
The court heard the girl was being looked after by ACT Care and Protection and her father did not know where she was living.
Magistrate Peter Dingwall told the court he was satisfied there was no real likelihood the accused would commit another offence, but said there was a real concern he could interfere with witnesses.
He refused bail.
The matter will be back in court next month.
