A KERANG man yesterday pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting his niece.The 42-year-old, who cannot be named, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates Court. He pleaded guilty to one count of committing an indecent act on a child under the age of 16. The court heard the man sexually assaulted his victim during a two-year period when she was aged from five to seven. The man was living with his mother – the girl’s grandmother – at the time. Leading Senior Constable Len Ladner, prosecuting, said the child would often visit her grandmother during Christmas and Easter holidays and that was when the assaults occurred. He said the man sexually assaulted the girl on a number of occasions while she sat on his knee playing on the computer.When the man was arrested he told police he assaulted his niece because it was forbidden and gave him a thrill. The court heard the man had since been ostracised by most of his family, had to move out of his mother’s house and had no meaningful adult relationships.The man was sentenced to a community-based order for two years and will receive treatment and counselling. He will complete 300 hours of community work.