'Sadistic' father who abused children in South Australia jailed for up to 25 years

The man sexually assaulted his children, locked them in cages and tied them to trees. Photo / 123rf

A "sadistic" father who tortured, terrorised and sexually abused four children at a remote South Australian property has been jailed for up to 25 years.

Not only did the man sexually assault his children but he locked them in cages, tied them to trees and slammed their fingers in doors in a ghastly campaign of abuse.

The 43-year-old was on Monday sentenced to at least 19 years in prison for his crimes that were committed over more than a decade at his house north of Port Augusta.

"You tormented and terrorised each child," District Court Judge Sophie David said in her sentencing.

"It's hard to fully detail the sadistic nature of your offending." He was found guilty in August of multiple offences, including aggravated assault, unlawful sexual intercourse and false imprisonment. Two of the children were his biological son and daughter and the other two were his stepson and stepdaughter.

The court heard the children have suffered devastating and lasting consequences as a result of the abuse.

"You reaped incalculable damage upon their lives," Judge David said. The man's wife was also found guilty of false imprisonment because she was complicit in her husband's abuse against two of the children between 2011 and 2013.

She was jailed for three years with a non-parole period of two years. To protect the identity of the children, neither the man or woman can be named.

- AAP