A child molester who portrayed his victim as a liar in court has been sentenced to two years and three months jail.

Kevin John Akast, 45, was found guilty in the Whangarei District Court on four charges of indecent assault and two of inducing an indecent act between November 1991 and November 1995.

The complainant was a girl aged between eight and 12 at the time of the offending.

On Thursday, Crown prosecutor Peter Magee said the assaults were just short of sexual violation and motivated by Akast's own sexual gratification.

He said the court must have grave concern about the genuineness of Akast's remorse for the victim.

"It was only a matter of weeks ago (at trial) where she'd been portrayed as a liar. It just doesn't stack up."

Defence counsel Gerard Winter had sought a suspended jail sentence saying Akast was a man of "exemplary character" and anxious to seek therapy.

Mr Winter said Akast offered a public apology to the victim, who was not present in court. His parents were prepared to lend him money to pay reparation to the victim. But in sentencing Judge Lindsay Moore said Akast's use of a private investigator to gather information to question the victim's integrity at trial had added to her distress ...

and highlighted the impact of Akast's offending.

Judge Moore told Akast he should have faced up to his offending when first confronted by the girl's parents. Instead he had focused on trying to escape the consequences.

Akast would have received a suspended jail term had he pleaded guilty and spared the victim the ordeal of a trial, Judge Moore said.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE