Woman helped her husband Douglass Stephan Withnell rape young girl

The pair were both found guilty. Photo / 123RF

A court in Perth has heard how a woman held a young girl's hand and told her to squeeze it if she was in pain, as her husband raped the defenceless child.

Bethany Jayne Gilmore and her ex-husband Douglass Stephan Withnell appeared in a West Australian District Court on a number of sexual charges related to offending in Perth in the 1980s.

The now 43-year-old victim, who cannot be named, gave an emotional testimony where she recounted being taken to a dark bedroom where Withnell raped her as Gilmore held her hand, AAP reported.

Withnell also inappropriately touched the victim during a separate incident.

The court also heard that the couple had previously been convicted of sexually abusing two of the victim's sisters.

The jury quickly returned their verdict, finding Withnell guilty of having carnal knowledge of a girl and indecently dealing with a child.

His ex-wife was guilty only of the carnal knowledge offence. She was acquitted of indecent dealing relating to a separate incident where the victim alleged she was inappropriately touched in the bath when she was 5.

The pair will be sentenced next year.

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