of indecent assault.

The father was found guilty of the charge. But before passing sentence, Magistrate Charles-Etta Simmons ordered a social inquiry report on the man.

The trial, which ran for three days last week, heard the 17-year-old daughter tell the court that between November, 1992 and January, 1993 her father sexually abused her four times.

On four occasions, she said, he punched her, inserted his finger into her and forced her to touch him.

In her judgement, Ms Simmons noted the father at no time called her a liar even when she stood across the room accusing him of despicable acts.

Ms Simmons also said she believed the daughter could not tell her mother about what was going on because her mother did not trust her "due to what happened when the girl was 11.'' Last week the mother had told the court that she did not trust her youngest daughter because "when she was 11 she... stole $20 from my colleagues.'' Ms Simmons added that she felt "the daughter spoke with conviction and truth''.

"I believe the father was obsessed with his daughter's virginity, and the daughter lived in fear of her father.'' The father's lawyer Mr. Tim Marshall said: "The father has no criminal record and this case has no doubt torn this family apart. Now we have to work on how we can bring this family back together.'' Ms. Simmons bailed the father in the sum of $1,000 with one surety until the reading of the social inquiry report on October 22.