A Wellington man has admitted sexually abusing two of his daughters over a 13-year period in the 1970s and '80s.
The 80-year-old, whose name is suppressed to protect his victims, pleaded guilty to 11 charges yesterday, part-way through his trial in the Wellington District Court.
The charges he admitted included indecent assault on a girl under 12, relating to fondling his daughters' breasts and genitalia and inducing a girl under 12 to perform oral sex on him.
Three charges of rape and incest against a daughter with an intellectual disability were dismissed.
Earlier this week, the court was told the girls were aged between five and 16 when the alleged offending occurred.
Crown prosecutor Erin FitzHerbert said the man took advantage of opportunities alone with his daughters while his wife was out at work to sexually assault them and have them touch him.
The man also pleaded guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice, relating to texts he sent his daughters in an effort to avoid going to trial.
The court heard one of the texts accused the daughters of being "gutless and destroying any relationship they had with their parents".
On another occasion the man sent a text to his daughters, pretending to be a nurse looking after their mother.
The text implied her health was suffering as a direct result of the criminal proceedings and the Crown said it was an attempt to manipulate the complainants and stop them giving evidence against him.
The man was convicted and remanded in custody until his sentencing next month.