A Far South Coast man has been found guilty of eight child sex related offences following a trial in Bega District Court.
44-year-old air conditioning company operator Mark Ladmore (above right) stood trial earlier this month after he pleaded not guilty to numerous charges including sexually assaulting a child.
He was charged with sexual touching, grooming, possessing child abuse material, inciting a child, assaulting a child, aggravated sexual intercourse, and producing child abuse material.
The judge only trial ran over six days with the prosecution and defence summing up their cases on Monday.
Today Judge Andrew Haesler SC delivered a lengthy judgement to a courtroom packed with family of the young victim.
He told the court he accepted Ladmore had a sexual interest in the victim, who was aged between 8 and 10 at the time of the offending and stated he had bought a new car after his arrest with the number plate featuring three initials from the victim’s name.
Justice Haesler stated the victim’s evidence to the trial was consistent with what she had told her parents.
He told the court the victim could not have described two dildos and two partial sex torsos in a brown suitcase unless she had seen them.
His Honour said Ladmore was an unimpressive witness who lied to the court.
He showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out while one of the victim’s family in the court let out a quite but audible celebration each time the judge said guilty.
He was also found not guilty on two of the charges.
Ladmore was refused bail and immediately taken into custody.
Justice Haesler told him he was facing a prison term of some length.
Ladmore will be sentenced on May 30.
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