A man who molested his three stepchildren at a home in Palmerston has been found guilty of a string of indecent acts and having sexual intercourse with a child.
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The stepfather had been on trial in the ACT Supreme Court accused of sexual offences involving two sisters and a brother in the early 1990s.
In one incident, it was alleged the man forced the two sisters to perform indecent acts on him at the same time.
It took many years for the historical child sex case to come to court.
When the trial began last week, repeated technology failures frustrated the giving of the brother's evidence.
He has struggled with mental health problems in adulthood, and appeared emotional and unstable. There were concerns he would not make it through his evidence, and he stormed out at one stage, having called the defence barrister a "maggot" during cross-examination.
The technology failures further disrupted his ability to give evidence. He was speaking from a remote witness room interstate via video call, but the audio or video connection repeatedly dropped out, causing considerable delays.
The failings were so severe that Acting Justice Stephen Walmsley, who was presiding over the trial, vented his frustration in the absence of the jury.
"It's just intolerable," he said.
"We shouldn't be expected to have to put up with this incredibly bad communications system."
"It's just crazy."
The judge said the problems were affecting the jury, the witnesses, and the accused.
The technology was eventually fixed, and the three victims, now adults, were able to give their evidence.
Crown prosecutor Sarah McMurray said the children had been too scared to speak out about their abuse at the time it was occurring.
She said they suffered in silence, often watching each other be molested. The children also saw their stepfather inflict violence on their mother, the court heard.
The accused faced 13 counts, including one of sexual intercourse with a minor. His defence, led by barrister Richard Thomas, suggested the victims' claims may be financially motivated.
He said their mother had sold her home to invest in the defendant's struggling flower business, but had never seen any money back after they split in 1993.
The jury returned verdicts on Friday afternoon.
The defendant was found guilty of nine indecent acts and the one count of sexual intercourse with a child.
He was found not guilty of two acts of indecency, and the jury could not agree on another indecent act.
Justice Walmsley thanked the jurors for their efforts and discharged them from their duties.
The prosecution tendered the defendant's criminal history and requested he be assessed for suitability to undertake the adult sex offender program in jail.
The judge revoked the man's bail, ordered a pre-sentence report and indicated he would face a sentence of full-time custody.
The man will be sentenced in March.
