A woman who was indecently assaulted as a child said she went through pain and fear every time her abuser forced her to do foul acts, the court heard today.
The man pleaded guilty to two of the indecent assault charges and was found guilty of the three other charges at a jury trial in Invercargill last year.
The woman said she had suffered from depression and anxiety throughout her life.
''I struggle to trust men mainly but women as well.''
She said the man had lived a healthy, wealthy life while she had struggled through hers, he was responsible for her failed relationships, her alcohol and drug addictions and how she could not trust anyone with her children.
She had been treated as a ''bad child'' her whole life, being sent away to family members, to health camps and respite care and had a list of convictions.
''My behaviour issues were caused by you,'' she said.
She believed her battle with cancer was down to the stress and having her children taken from her by Oranga Tamariki, was as a result of the man's offending.
''You have done more damage than you will ever understand.''
The man could not look at the victim as she turned around to address him while giving her statement.
''You can't hurt us no more, we are free. We can now move ahead in life knowing you have been caught,'' she said.
Judge Brian Callaghan said a report provided to the court says the man had also been a victim of sexual abuse when he was young.
''I think it is not any revelation to me that people who are offended against like you say you were, go on to reoffend.''
However the man still did not agree with the jury's verdicts of guilty on the three charges heard at trial which made it difficult for the judge to give any discount in sentence for remorse, he said.
Evidence given by a victim during the jury trial said she recollected being assaulted on 100s of occasions however the judge thought it more likely to be in the 10s or 20s, he said.
While 80% of the offending had happened over the children's clothing the assault on a boy and other assaults, did not, Judge Callaghan said.
The judge did not buy into the explanations the man had just been checking a child's sexual function was okay or teaching a lesson to a girl about why she should wear underwear.
While two of the victims wanted the man to be named, one did not, therefore the judge had no choice but to grant him permanent name suppression.
Judge Callaghan sentenced the man to 26 months' jail. and ordered his name be entered on the child sex offender register.
