Despicable paedophile father who raped and sexually assaulted his daughter so violently she developed split personality disorder is told he will die in jail

  • Sydney father Richard Haynes has been jailed for sexually assaulting daughter 
  • Jeni Haynes developed thousands of identities to cope with the horrific abuse
  • Judge Sarah Huggett sentenced him to 45 years with a non-parole period of 33

A 74-year-old man who raped and sexually abused his daughter so horrendously she developed thousands of identities to cope will likely die in jail.

Richard Haynes, whose attempt to retract his mid-trial guilty pleas was rejected, was sentenced in the NSW District Court on Friday for abusing his daughter, Jeni, from 1974 to 1981. 

Judge Sarah Huggett sentenced him to 45 years with a non-parole period of 33 years, meaning Haynes can't be released until he is 104. He showed no emotion as he was sentenced.

Ms Haynes (pictured right) was brutally abused by her father (pictured centre) from the age of four to 14 and required reconstructive surgery for the damage done to her

Ms Haynes (pictured right) was brutally abused by her father (pictured centre) from the age of four to 14 and required reconstructive surgery for the damage done to her

Jennifer Haynes (pictured arriving in court on Friday) 49, came face to face with her father during his trial on Friday
Ms Haynes (pictured) developed an 'army' of personalities each with their own voices, memories and characteristics as a way of coping with her abuse

Jennifer Haynes (pictured left arriving in court on Friday) 49, came face to face with her father during his trial on Friday. The woman testified of the horrific abuse that led her to develop 2,500 personalities

Jeni has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder and has about 2500 personalities.

'A large number of the offences included significant gratuitous cruelty,' Judge Huggett said on Friday.

Haynes was sentenced for 25 offences related to his rape and molestation of his daughter, beginning the year the family moved to Australia and ending when they moved back to England.

Though his attacks often caused Jeni to bleed, urinate and cry, he continued and told her she deserved it and liked the abuse.

'This hurts me more than it hurts you,' he told her on one occasion.

'Mummy doesn't want you and if you tell her, she will die and it will be your fault,' he said another time. 

Jeni has a permanent colostomy bag, which she has described as a 'degrading, daily reminder' of her father's crimes, and unending problems with eyesight, hearing, dentistry and mental health.

The personalities include a four-year-old girl called Symphony, the personality abused by her father, and an eight-year-old boy named Little Ricky. Pictured: Ms Haynes

The personalities include a four-year-old girl called Symphony, the personality abused by her father, and an eight-year-old boy named Little Ricky. Pictured: Ms Haynes

Jeni Haynes, 49, was horrifically raped by her father Richard (pictured) from the age of four to 14 at their home in Sydney's western suburbs

Jeni Haynes, 49, was horrifically raped by her father Richard (pictured) from the age of four to 14 at their home in Sydney's western suburbs

While she was giving evidence at his trial in February, her father forced an adjournment and struck a plea deal.

But weeks after pleading guilty to 25 offences, including rape and buggery, he applied to return to his not-guilty pleas. Judge Huggett said the court could not entertain that request.

The judge said no sentence could possibly measure up to the 'depraved and abhorrent' offending that Haynes was yet to explain.

Describing the child abuse among the worst to come before the court, Judge Huggett noted the physical harm was often accompanied with 'significant gratuitous cruelty', including extreme psychological manipulation.

'Given the brutality and violence meted out, it is unsurprising that Jennifer believed what her father said ... and many years passed before she found the courage to report (it).'

Jeni Haynes was seen smiling as she left the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney, Friday

Jeni Haynes was seen smiling as she left the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney, Friday

She hugged supporters outside of court after her father was sentenced to 45 years behind bars with a non-parole period of 33 years

She hugged supporters outside of court after her father was sentenced to 45 years behind bars with a non-parole period of 33 years

Jeni has a permanent colostomy bag, which she has described as a 'degrading, daily reminder' of her father's crimes, and unending problems with eyesight, hearing, dentistry and mental health
Jeni appeared to be in disbelief when the sentence was read out

Jeni appeared to be in disbelief when the sentence was read out. The woman has a permanent colostomy bag, which she has described as a 'degrading, daily reminder' of her father's crimes, and unending problems with eyesight, hearing, dentistry and mental health

Richard Haynes was extradited from the United Kingdom in February 2017 to face a judge-only trial.

The charges were so serious it was feared a jury could be left psychologically traumatised. 

As a child victim of sex abuse, Ms Haynes was given the chance to remain anonymous during court proceedings. 

But if she did so her father would also have remained anonymous, so Ms Haynes made the brave choice to take the story public. 

She said she wanted her father to go to jail with 'everyone knowing what he did'. 

In an interview with 60 Minutes, Ms Haynes admitted she never realised having multiple voices inside her head was considered abnormal.

'I didn't know that you're only supposed to have one personality,' she said.

Almost 90 per cent of Multiple Personality Disorder cases, now more commonly referred to as Dissociative Identity Disorder, involve some form of trauma or abuse.

It is often thought of as a coping mechanism for victims to disconnect, distance or separate themselves from the trauma.

'Jeni was born and my father started to abuse her. An alter was created who came to take dad's abuse so Jenny didn't have to,' Ms Haynes previously said.

 

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Paedophile dad who raped and sexually assaulted his daughter is jailed

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