A Hawke's Bay man has been jailed for 12 years and nine months after he sexually abused young girls, some family members, for more than three decades.
The man, who cannot be named, abused five girls as young as three-years-old over a period of 36 years, ending last year.
He was charged with three counts each of sexual conduct with a child under 12 and indecency with a girl under 12, two each of rape and sexual conduct with a person under 16 and one each of unlawful sexual connection and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.
Represented by defence lawyer Matthew Dixon, he appeared before Judge Geoff Rea in the Napier District Court for sentencing on Tuesday.
Judge Rea described the victim impact statement given by the mother of one of the victims as a "harrowing document".