A former police officer charged over the alleged sexual assault of his young stepdaughter will spend Christmas behind bars in Melbourne after being extradited from the UK.
Robert Scott, 88, has been charged with five child sex abuse offences after allegedly assaulting his stepdaughter Kim Elzaibak in the 1970s.
For decades, Ms Elzaibak has waited to face her alleged abuser in a Victorian courtroom and yesterday was able to stare him down as he faced a judge via video link.
“I suppose it was a dream come true because I never thought I’d see the day,” she told 9News.
Ms Elzaibak claims Mr Scott – who was a police officer in Beechworth in the 1970s – abused her from the age of three.
Police allege Mr Scott sexually assaulted his stepdaughter until she was aged nine.
“I used to look at you as my superhero, you were my daddy, the man in the police uniform,” Ms Elzaibak said.
“I was led to believe ‘this is normal, this is what a loving parent does with a child.'”
Ms Elzaibak filed a police report in 2000 but by then Mr Scott had moved to the UK and started a new family, with officers in Victoria saying they could not interview someone who was overseas.
“I’m trying my best to be fair to the detectives who do really good work, but I feel let down,” she said.
“I feel betrayed.”
In 2013, the case was reopened and four years later police charged Mr Scott with five counts of child sexual abuse.
In October last year, Ms Elzaibak flew to the UK for Mr Scott’s extradition hearing. There, Mr Scott argued that too much time had passed and it would be oppressive for him to travel given his physical and mental problems.
The judge however disagreed and signed the order, with the 88-year-old landing in Melbourne earlier this month.
“The validation she gave me is something I can’t explain,” Ms Elzaibak said.
Yesterday the court heard Mr Scott suffers from osteoarthritis and has hearing, prostate and cardiac issues. He raised his hand to speak to the magistrate, but was ignored, and will remain behind bars until his next court date in February.
This article first appeared on 9News.
