Sex encounter with step-daughter, 11, may end in jail for dad 15 years later

• Step-father had sex with daughter, 11
• Went on to have two kids with daughter
• Man was considered "awesome dad"

A FATHER is likely to be jailed when he fronts a Brisbane court for a single carnal act with his one-day future bride - which resulted in the conception of their daughter - almost 15 years ago.
What makes the couple's union a criminal act was the fact that at the time the future groom was aged 42 and the soon to be mother was his 11-year-old step-daughter, The Courier-Mail said.
A Brisbane District Court was last week told now convicted child sex offender, who is now raising the 14-year-old child who was the fruit of the illegal act, was facing a seven-year stint when he was originally charged by police in 1995.
But, he fled interstate after being twice given bail and jailed for several months and was able to elude police for 14 years, 18 months and three days.
During that time he returned to Brisbane undetected by authorities and married the girl, who by then had turned 18.
They produced a second child - a son - in 2005.
The man, now aged 58 and who until his recapture in March resided on Brisbane's northside and cannot be named to protect his "victim", pleaded guilty on Friday to an act of unlawful carnal knowledge with a girl in his care under 12 during the September 1995 school holidays.
Prosecutor Rebecca Britnell said the man was in a relationship with the child's mother and they produced a son - the girl's half brother about a year before the sexual assault.
Ms Britnell said the man had been asleep naked in his bed when the 11-year-old came into his bedroom, disrobed and they had sex.
The court was told the man told the girl the one-off incident - which he told police was the result of her being the "sexual aggressor" - was wrong and could never happen again.
However, when the girl revealed she was pregnant the pair fled interstate and remained in hiding until her disappearance and her mum's appeal for her safe return became a national media event.
Ms Britnell said the girl, by then 30 weeks pregnant, telephoned her mother shortly after and arrived at Brisbane's Roma Street Travel Centre in April 1996.
She said the girl made a statement to police, the man was charged, bailed by a magistrate, breached it by seeing the girl, was jailed for three months, again bailed and then fled.
The court was told the man remained on the run until police learned of his whereabouts in Brisbane on March 8 this year.
Police contacted the man, gave him 24-hours to sort out his affairs and he surrendered the following day and has been in custody since.
In a case presiding judge David Reid described as extraordinary, the Crown revealed the man returned to Brisbane, rekindled his relationship with the girl and they married, produced a son, separated in 2007 and remain good friends.
The woman was seated in court during the hearing and repeatedly shot looks of support to the man as lawyers from both sides made their submissions.
Ms Britnell submitted the man be jailed for 18-months, but his barrister, Josh Creamer, argued for his immediate release.
Mr Creamer said his client continued to have a very good relationship with the "complainant", who smiled when the comment was made, and was considered an "awesome dad" by their now 14-year-old daughter.
Judge Reid said: "My gut feeling with this one (is that any person would) recoil at the breach of trust (by this man)."
"(But) it was a one off event. It was not predatory and they have a (good) long time relationship (all these years later)."
Judge Reid said he wanted time to consider the facts and remanded the man in custody before sentence tomorrow morning.