Daughters tell of abuse

A 57-year-old man who subjected his two daughters to years of sexual abuse has been found guilty of raping and indecently assaulting them.

The women, now 31 and 19, told the High Court at Hamilton that their father beat them, forced them to have sex with him, and threatened to kill them if they told.

The older sister said she had to live alone with her father from about the age of 6 or 7 and take on the role of a wife, being forced to sleep in his bed and cook for him when he came home drunk. She finally left him when she found her mother again at about 16.

The 19-year-old said she lived alone with her father from about the age of 8 or 9 after he was granted custody of her. She moved back with her mother when she was 14 after he beat her with a vacuum cleaner pipe.

The man was remanded in custody by Justice David Baragwanath for sentencing on November 17.