A man has been charged after he purportedly sexually abused his 10 year old daughter, treating her as a “second wife”. The 44 year old is facing 22 charges. Court documents state the man, from Eagle Mountain in Utah, “used his juvenile daughter as a second wife because his first wife was not providing him with what he needed”, according to ABC4 News.

He has been charged with 22 offences. These comprise four counts of sodomy on a child, seven counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, one count of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, nine counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one count of rape.

It is claimed he touched the girl and captured abusive photographs of her.

The police investigation proceeded alongside a child protection services’ inquiry, both commencing after an adult relative allegedly discovered child abuse images on a device belonging to the 44 year old man.

He allegedly admitted to touching his daughter as a child and capturing child abuse photographs before erasing them. The victim has allegedly challenged the man regarding the abuse.

He is reported to have wept and “told the victim that she could not say anything to anyone about the abuse or he would go to jail”, ABC4 adds. The child had previously stayed silent about the abuse because the father provided financial support for the family, the report also stated.

He is currently being held in custody without bail.