A Hokitika man has been sentenced to home detention for historical sexual offending against a babysitter who was just 14 years old at the time.

The man, who has interim name suppression, is now in his 70s.

At the time of the offending, in 1983, he was 28.

A statement read in the Greymouth District Court on Friday on behalf of the victim said the now 56-year-old was just 14 years old when her childhood was taken while she slept.

She woke up to find herself being assaulted.

‘‘That moment has stayed with me my entire life.’’

The court heard the victim was one of two girls babysitting for the  man and his former wife.

The two teenagers had been left a bottle of wine to drink while the couple were out.

When they returned home the victim, who was under the influence of alcohol, stayed overnight.

The man went into the bedroom and she woke to him lying on top of her.

He asked ‘‘are you on the pill?’’, before she passed out.

Crown prosecutor William Taffs said when the victim woke again she was naked from the waist down, and there was inference some sort of penetration had occurred.

Judge Quentin Hix said the offender admitted getting into the victim’s bed, but could not remember if he had sex with her or not.

The man initially faced a more serious charge of sexual violation of a female (12-16 years old).

However, that was reduced to one of indecent assault of a 12 to 16-year-old — some 40 years later.

A case for permanent name suppression was made by the man’s lawyer on the grounds that the offending was historic, and a ‘‘one-off’’.

The man also had a ‘‘unique’’ last name and there was a real reputational risk given he lived in a small town.

He also suggested there might be some sort of vigilante action.

However, Mr Taffs said while the offending may have happened a long time go, it remained serious.

It had and continued to have, a significant impact on the victim.

The argument for name suppression did not meet the test of extreme hardship.

Judge Hix set a sentencing starting point of 15 months’ home detention, but made reductions for the man’s guilty plea at the first opportunity and his lack of previous history, to arrive at a sentence of four months’ home detention.

The judge declined final name suppression.

Interim suppression was continued to allow for an appeal. — Allied Media