Former Aussie TV's 'Hey Dad!' star Robert Hughes has been jailed for up to 10 years and nine months for child sex offences.
The 65-year-old, who was last month convicted of 10 sexual and indecent assault charges dating back to the 1980s, will have to serve a minimum of six years behind bars.
Hughes had pleaded not guilty to 11 charges of sexually or indecently assaulting five girls between 1985 and 1990. The victims were aged between seven and 15 years old at the time of the offences.
District Court Judge Peter Zahra said Hughes took advantage of opportunities with children and engaged in predatory behaviour.
"The offender does not express remorse and there is no evidence that the offender remained troubled by his conduct," he said.
"As the years passed the offender would have become increasingly confident that his victims would remain silent.
"The victims here remain deeply disturbed by the conduct of the offender."
Judge Zahra also noted Hughes was in protective custody in jail and would continue to feel "social isolation". He ruled Hughes be eligible for parole in 2020.
Hughes sat with his back to the public gallery and showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down.
He will appeal against his conviction and sentence.
Hughes's lawyer Greg Walsh said his client's health was deteriorating in jail and he had received threats.
"Jail isn't a pleasant place ... as I said to the learned sentencing judge, every day of his sentence he'll have to look over his shoulder," Mr Walsh said outside court. Kind of like what the kids had to do everyday of the show.
"I asked for him to be placed on strict non-association and they wouldn't listen to me, so he is now exposed to other prisoners and he's threatened on a daily basis.
"It's very difficult for someone like him, with the media notoriety, to serve his sentence. Very difficult."
Dozens of people packed into the Sydney courtroom for the sentencing, prompting the closure of the public gallery on safety grounds.
Earlier this month Hughes's sentencing hearing heard harrowing victim impact statements from women still suffering from the abuse they endured as girls.
One woman, now 37, said she would never have children because of Hughes, and had come to hate the word "dad".
"I hate anyone looking at me. I have no self worth," she said.
"I never thought I'd see this day. For 26 years I've tried to deal with the fact that this just happened. Maybe now I can try to piece my life together again, to not feel ashamed or dirty.
"I hope the punishment fits the crime and you will have to suffer for years to come just like I have ... I wish you nothing but misery."
The jury initially returned a guilty verdict on nine of the charges against Hughes, before taking one more day to find him guilty of a final indecency charge dating back to 1990.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict on one charge of indecency charge.
One of the victims who Hughes indecently assaulted was seven when he put her hand on his genitals.
Another child was nine when Hughes told her to swim between his legs at Manly Beach. His swimmers were pulled down.
During the trial the court heard of sleepovers at Hughes's home where the actor would walk naked into the room where the girls were sleeping and expose himself to them.
Hughes denied this, saying he slept naked and often used the bathroom at night but would never walk into the room where the girls were staying.
The trial lasted almost six weeks.
When the verdicts were read out Hughes stood up in the dock and yelled: "I am innocent."
The 65-year-old, who was last month convicted of 10 sexual and indecent assault charges dating back to the 1980s, will have to serve a minimum of six years behind bars.
Hughes had pleaded not guilty to 11 charges of sexually or indecently assaulting five girls between 1985 and 1990. The victims were aged between seven and 15 years old at the time of the offences.
District Court Judge Peter Zahra said Hughes took advantage of opportunities with children and engaged in predatory behaviour.
"As the years passed the offender would have become increasingly confident that his victims would remain silent.
"The victims here remain deeply disturbed by the conduct of the offender."
Judge Zahra also noted Hughes was in protective custody in jail and would continue to feel "social isolation". He ruled Hughes be eligible for parole in 2020.
Hughes sat with his back to the public gallery and showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down.
He will appeal against his conviction and sentence.
Hughes's lawyer Greg Walsh said his client's health was deteriorating in jail and he had received threats.
"Jail isn't a pleasant place ... as I said to the learned sentencing judge, every day of his sentence he'll have to look over his shoulder," Mr Walsh said outside court. Kind of like what the kids had to do everyday of the show.
"I asked for him to be placed on strict non-association and they wouldn't listen to me, so he is now exposed to other prisoners and he's threatened on a daily basis.
"It's very difficult for someone like him, with the media notoriety, to serve his sentence. Very difficult."
Dozens of people packed into the Sydney courtroom for the sentencing, prompting the closure of the public gallery on safety grounds.
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| Cast of 'Hey Dad!' Hughes is the dad. |
One woman, now 37, said she would never have children because of Hughes, and had come to hate the word "dad".
"I hate anyone looking at me. I have no self worth," she said.
"I never thought I'd see this day. For 26 years I've tried to deal with the fact that this just happened. Maybe now I can try to piece my life together again, to not feel ashamed or dirty.
"I hope the punishment fits the crime and you will have to suffer for years to come just like I have ... I wish you nothing but misery."
The jury initially returned a guilty verdict on nine of the charges against Hughes, before taking one more day to find him guilty of a final indecency charge dating back to 1990.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict on one charge of indecency charge.
One of the victims who Hughes indecently assaulted was seven when he put her hand on his genitals.
Another child was nine when Hughes told her to swim between his legs at Manly Beach. His swimmers were pulled down.
During the trial the court heard of sleepovers at Hughes's home where the actor would walk naked into the room where the girls were sleeping and expose himself to them.
Hughes denied this, saying he slept naked and often used the bathroom at night but would never walk into the room where the girls were staying.
The trial lasted almost six weeks.
When the verdicts were read out Hughes stood up in the dock and yelled: "I am innocent."
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