A teenage girl whose foster father allegedly had repeated sex with her told police she hid the relationship from her foster mother because she was “the only family I’ve ever had”.
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The foster father, a 35-year-old who cannot be named, is on trial for having sex with his foster daughter in 2010 and 2011, when she was aged 14 and 15.
He has maintained his innocence and is fighting 12 charges in the ACT Supreme Court.
The court heard the pair allegedly began having sex in 2010, when the girl came home upset from school.
Her foster father is alleged to have comforted her, kissed her on the lips, and then taken off her clothes before performing sexual acts on her.
An alleged sexual relationship began, and the girl said the pair was having sex on a daily basis at one point, while her foster mother was not at home.
Recordings of the girl’s interviews with police were played to the jury again on Tuesday.
The girl told police of one occasion where her father asked to film the sex, but she refused because she didn’t want anyone to find out, particularly her foster mother.
A detective asked her why she didn’t want her mother to find out.
“Because [name removed] is the only family I’ve ever had,” the girl said.
“She’s the only person who ever gave a s--t about me.
“She was like a mum to me pretty much, that’s the only way I can explain it.”
The girl eventually told police, because she said her foster father was painting her as a liar and as crazy to his wife.
The teenager said in the interview that her foster father had threatened to commit suicide if she told anyone about their sexual relationship.
“He kept telling me if I ever told anyone it would be the death of him, he would kill himself and it would ruin the family,” she said.
She estimated the pair had sex more than 20 times, and told police that sometimes she felt like she had to consent because she was scared.
At one point, police asked her whether she was making up the allegations because she was jealous of her foster mother’s relationship with the man.
The girl denied that, saying:
“I could never imagine myself with someone who’s like that, so arrogant and rude.”
The trial continues before Justice Richard Refshauge on Tuesday afternoon.
