A man who sexually offended against young family members has been jailed for 17 years.
The man, who can't be named for legal reasons, was sentenced in the Wellington District Court on Thursday on a range of charges including sexual violation and indecent assault.
His offending began in 1999 and continued for eight years. The youngest of his four victims was four years old when he began offending against her.
Judge Peter Hobbs said statements made by the victims revealed the ongoing effects of the abuse, including fear, depression and drug and alcohol problems.
He said one of the victims said she just wanted the man to apologise and another spoke of her difficulty in maintaining relationships.
Judge Hobbs said the offending was a gross breach of trust. He ordered the man to serve at least seven years in prison before being eligible for parole.