The daughters seduction by her father is her enticement into the OEDIPAL PHASE.. You guys should all read about SIGMUND FREUD and his theories

Nitharsha, belconnen,

This is absolutely disgusting!!!! and the fact that they dont see anything wrong, not just illegal, but also morally wrong is crazy! I feel so sorry for the only victim in this, the child and hope she is allowed to live as normal a life as possible

Seg, London, England

Its the end of the world!

Matt, Napoli, Italy

Even in this absurd world of relativism, I cannot believe that some people here do not see tihs as wrong????????????

Teresa, Napoli, Italy

Alot of people are saying on here that animals are incestuous etc., fair enough but surely our 'conscious' thinking separates us from the animals and therefore we actively KNOW that this is wrong. And it is wrong not matter how you try and 'pretty it up'. I hope the child is given the emotional support and safety net she'll need growing up.

Zed, Wok, Berks

Australia has long been famous for its strange and bizarre animal life....!

Garth Strong, San Diego, USA

All you people really need to lighten up and get with the 21st Century! When all of your morays are based on Biblical teaching, and when it has already been proven beyond any reasonable shadow of doubt that Jesus was a myth, then you quickly find that you have no basis for the argument that any of this is "wrong". What IS "wrong" anyway? The age of Bible thumping is quickly coming to an end, and if hedonism is what is wished for by sober adults, then why should ANY government be allwed to judge them? Opposition based on some randomly defined "morality" should be ignored. At least here in Berkeley California, all the religious superstitions of the past have thankfully been replaced successfully with a society that is the product of enlightened Intellectualism.

Norman Chomsky, Berkeley, California USA

Leaving behind the fact that he father a child with his daughter look at his age at which he acheived this.61 years old and daughter 39 years old.What they are up to....

Hari, Bangalore, India

''Are you serious, all of you who find a rationale? There is no excuse! ''

It's perfectly rational, JoAnne Gottlieb of Henderson, Nevada. It's even desirable. Humans are governed by the normnal rules of biology. Ask any stockbreeder - the best lines are produced througth in-breeding with a judicious, but only occasional, introduction of outside genetic material. In the wild parent-offspring and brother sister mating are quite common among animals such as the tiger and the buffalo, while among human societies from the Pharoahs to the Greeks, Romans, Persians, Mayans, Tartars, Scythians and virtually everyone else the same principle - in ancient times anyway - always applied: blood is everything. Neither was it confined to the aristocracy. Where leaders went the merchant and military classes followed.

They produced so few babbling retards and so many fine, courageous leaders, scholars and soldiers that it is clear what they knew but we refuse to. Close in-breeding brings out PRE-EXISTING genetic flaws. It does not create them. Marrying the dashing wine-waiter we met on holiday is an invitation to all sorts of trouble far and away beyond that courted by sharing a bed with our siblings. It's been said before that we take more care in breeding our dogs than in breeding ourselves and that is true.

According to Ludovici the Kalmuck Indians of New England had a saying, 'Great folk and dogs have no relatives.' But then religious taboo and fact are so often mutually exclusive.

Edward, Lincoln, England

"If anyone is planning on engaging in an incestuous relationship I suggest that they move to Britain!"

How would that help, it's still illegal?

And also, actually READ the comments.

John, Cardiff, UK

The excuse process has become so ingrained and so natural that the most outrageous behaviour finds reason. Whether murder, driving while intoxicated or tagging multiple sex partners its alright because there is an excuse. If we flick away the reasons given the logic is always the same, it seemed like a good idea at the time. The insane dream of the Marquis de Sade has come true and it is only a matter of time when moral people are judged as criminals.

Charles J. Budde, Stl MO, USA

These two people are obviously not normal. This is certainly not the way a biological father meets his own flesh and blood daughter after being apart for many years. And, it does not matter how long of a separation it has been. A father has no right to his daughter's body--child or adult. He must always refrain, and he must always be the one to say no because it is wrong to think, feel or touch her inappropriately. And in this case, because he did not refrain from the sexual temptation, an innocent child has been created who of course did not ask to be created this way, and now she will face all of the nasty remarks from her peers as she grows up. My heart bleeds from this child, and her mom/sister must put a complete stop to her sinful connection with her equally irresponsible/sinful father. I honestly hope that the good light beams their way and helps them do the honorable thing, and that is to live separate lives and be normal as normal people should be.

Rose, Las Vegas, nv

I've read that, due to the genetic diversity of individuals (even within one family), there is little risk of genetic problems except in extreme cases of many generations of incest.

2) This is hardly a case of power. Try 2 consenting adults - confused by their emotions, as are all intimate relations, exploring their boundaries, with some important laws that shouldn't apply to their situation; simple as that.

ps I attended British schools as a child/teenager, so I know the cultural challenge/taboo being applied.

Gary, Olympia, WA,

Wow, judging from most of the comments here it seems that the English seem to have extremely permissive attitudes towards incest. If anyone is planning on engaging in an incestuous relationship I suggest that they move to Britain!

Tim, New York City, NY

How sad for the children. You cant help who you fall in love with but surely common sense would have been to remain without children together. Lets hope he hangs around long enough to see ths one grow up or maybe he will disappear only to return in 20 yrs when this child is adult.......................

Lola, London, england

Thats a bit much Bill Peter. Its much the same is implying that all Malaysians are terrorists and bigoted.

There is actually a fair bit of incestuous activity in Australia. Largely within small ethnic monorities. It is becoming a real issue for authorities.

Dont know what these two were thinking though.

Matt, Barcelona, Spain

'I knew it was illegal - but so what': on the basis of that enlightened relationship with the law, I'd be slightly worried about that man fathering ANY children.

David Marusza, Islington, UK

Sympathy stopped the moment the child was conceived. You can choose to have a child, You cant choose who your parents are. Poor kid

Lola, London, England

This is still an abuse by the father regardless of the time spent apart before their 'reunion'.
I do not think it immaterial that he effectively abandoned this girl when she was only a one year old.
As perverse as it might sound, is she not trying to heal that rupture by putting herself in this seriously unhealthy situation?
This is wrong on every level. You do not have to be religious to think so. It is one of the clearest cases of abuse of power of a parent over their child. The fact that the woman is an adult with two children from a previous relationship just makes it worse. This man is not only abusing his child but his grandchildren, all 3 of them, by exposing them to such a sick scenario.

Nadia, Hamilton, Bermuda

I dont think tere relationship is wrong, they didn't feel like father and daughter once they were apart for so long. they both wanted it.
It is however irresponsible and a bit selfish to have a child because the medical risks of the childs abnormal health are so high.
But on terms of their relationship they are both adults and as long as their family accepts that and are all happy we cant judje.

Lio, NY,

I'll not deny that the emotions can be persuasive; the "heart" (or perhaps another organ was doing the talking in this case) is in fact a major driver, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. However, the mind/intellect must have a say. And between the two, is the 'chooser' that which stands apart from the mind and heart, and decides which of these two shall prevail.

The father's statements demonstrate a moral defectiveness...the will ("chooser") must be able to override the heart. To claim otherwise is to justify rape or any other "crime of passion" (term used w/reservation).

I suspect a confused sense of mutual attraction (reasonable with a father-daughter pair, separated for many years) with a reduced sense of sexual boundaries (not uncommon in fatherless girls) and a malfunctioning moral compass (not uncommon in men who abondon their children).

Sad.

Dan'l, Portland, US

What are the statistical likelihood of a child born out of incest to have genetic defects?

Whilst there appears to be a general revulsion towards incest, this is interesting considering humans have perfected the art of inbreeding to produce "pure" offsprings of animals (think: pedigree dogs and cats). Why should it be different for humans?

I think to keep the discussion sane, this must be looked at from a purely statistical standpoint. If the risk of genetic defects is low, I cannot see the case to be any different (with the exception of the criminality of it) to someone with a known genetic/hereditary defect having children (which is not illegal and not greeted with revulsion).

Just to be controversial, the argument can be extended to people who have children even when they are patently unable to look after them. What is worse? A child born to a loving family where the parents are related? Or a child born to drug addicted parents who are unrelated?

Jan, London, UK

I am confused here. These are two consenting adults. Whats the problem? You can not possibly say they are mad, and I do not think the father groomed her in anyway since he wasnt present when she was growing up, he met her as an ADULT.
I think the incest law is archaic and can't believe mordern democracies still have it in their books. There is no scientific backing to it. All that needs checking is if the child has any genetic disease as a result which is unlikely.

Muhammad, Cambridgeshire,

Where do u draw the incestous line , is it daughter , granddaughter , neice , cousin and so on.Its not so long ago that a married couple found out they are brother and sister.

In the dog breeding fratenity for example its commonplace to breed canine relative to relative , perhaps dogs should be treated to the same incestous scrutiny.AS should all beasts.

Its funny that folk mention the bibles take on incest , if the bible was followed a bit more closely today then surely its teachings would lead to a better place.

Most of mans laws today are based on the bibles tales , but not fearing god leads to not heading him.

C RObb, scotland,

It happened in the Bible with Lot and his daughters - but they at least had a good excuse as they thought they were the last people left on earth. Also the daughters had to make their father drunk before the deeds.

nosmo, Leeds, UK

Somewhere Sigmund Freud is resting, smiling and saying 'I told you so'.

Sam, Manchester,

Interesting comments. In response to 'Ashwin', what is a law of mankind? I also don't know if I'd call this behaviour 'evil' as well. It does very weird and wrong though.

Adam, Bristol, UK,

poor little celeste.

lynn, chester, uk

...What?! What in the world did the woman see in him, who left her in her very early age - a sign of undesirable father figure - and came back, falling in 'love' with the least appropriate woman? And he does not show any kind of remorse(judging by the interview here only). If this happened to somebody around me, I would advise her to keep an eye for the father husband when he is around her daughter. He may fall in love all over again.

Jeody, Singapore,

If the child is loved & they both consented - so what! there are enough children born who are unloved, abused etc. The previoud child born may have had a heart condition that had nothing to do with its biological parents. These tales sell papers & its what you all love to read!

Susan, Derby, England

Having sex and concieving a child with a close bloodline relative is dangerous. Child abnormalities are normal. Any health problems passed from father to daughter will be in the resulting child at a far stronger level. Any child concieved by these two will probably have a medical time bomb ticking away inside the poor thing.

Steve, London,

OH MY GOD! is this how it works in there down under...I mean beside being upside down!

April , ZIMBALI, US of A

I'm a Brit living in Australia, and we couldn't believe what we were seeing when we watched this story on the TV. It's beyond belief that this kind of relationship has happened, and we feel terrible sympathy for the child.

Alas, this is fairly representative of the trashy tabloid-esqe nonsense that can pass for prime time TV "journalism" over here. I wish wholeheartedly that the media would take responsibility for the topics on which it reports. This coverage will do untold damage to poor Celeste. This child's life will be horrible. Imagine the bullying that is to come?

KirstyM, Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Ah incest... the final taboo?

Biological reproduction aside, for this is known to be unwise for the future of the child (fingers crossed for Celeste in this instance), isn't it time people were a little more open-minded about the sexual preferences of others, whether that means having sex with inanimate objects such as bicycles, engaging in SM role-play activities or having sex with family members? Just because many people would choose not to do so, does this give society the right to prevent tho,e few individuals who do from engaging in such activities, as long as there was consent from both/all parties? (admittedly the bicycle scenario might cause difficulties in this case).

Will o' the Wisp, London,

The adults can do as they like, but it's despicable to put the children through that humiliation and hurt. There's nothing anyone can do now though, is there.

Lisa, Poole, Dorset,

Quote, "The couple"s nine-month old daughter appeared to be healthy...." Can outside appearances indicate the eventual state of this child"s mentality and intellectual level?.

Dirty Dick, Taunton, UK

aaah, how romantic

ivan shawyer, st margarets, twickenham

That has to be the most disgusting thing I've read all day...

What vile people.

Debbie, London,

If I met a man, felt attracted to him, slept with him after a short time - is that a monstrous crime? Of course it isn't. What if I then find out he is my brother, or my father? It still isn't a crime, because we'd crossed the line before knowing we both stood on the same side.

Although it may be argued that the behaviour of this couple is a crime because they were aware of their familial relationship, it is my wholehearted view that they should be considered as one of my two examples. They did not live as father and daughter, they did not know each other in a father-daughter context. They are clearly absolutely in love, so much so that they are willing to sacrifice everything, just to stand up and say that they love each other.

I don't find them monstrous, or disgusting, or loathsome, or worthy of pity. I think they're brave.
The only possible crime is the conception of children in an incestuous relationship, knowing that such unions can cause biological defects in the child.

Charlotte, London,

Wow, how hard up do you have to be to go for an aging ,bald old guy - who happens to be your ...FATHER??? I think I'd try another round of Match,com before I'd even think about that one.

Claudia, Atlanta, USA

This is SO wrong - it goes against all the laws of man and God; it contravenes genetic laws as well. The Deaves are all too cavalier about it; this self-indulgent selfishness on their part will lead to unending disgrace for themselves and their unfortunate offspring.

It's SICK!

VL, Victoria, Canada

This story is very bad indeed, but the publicizing of it is even worse. All that was needed were a discreet court order to completely seperate their family.

jayil, london, uk

WRONGGGGGGGG

Kerry, Nottingham,

Nauseating and just wrong! Can't imagine it really. Did they not think of the consequences.? Also, if the father had left when his daughter was one and she felt abandoned, then has he not in fact taken advantage of her vulnerability on his return by enterring into an incestuous relationship with her?

Furthermore, neither have, it seems thought fully about the physical and emotional impact that this might have on the child that they have created together. It seems they have not thought about the child at all. Emotions run strong, yes, in many people but there is a boundary that should not be crossed.

Rita, Isleworth,

This man abandons his family, and would not be a father to his daughter, but now shows up thirty years later to be her lover? A more interesting quiry would be why this married woman with two children would have anything to do with this degenerate jerk father.

If incest between fathers and daughter were condoned by society the family unit would be devastated. The result would be that fathers or mothers would be permitted to look upon their children as potential sexual objects and subsequently prey on them from positions of empowerment.
NOT a good idea.

No doubt there will presently be a flurry of PC British pundits defending a nilhisltic rationale justifying incest as "private, negligible, and no one's business". Moreover--how dare the public impose anything so archaic as A JUDGMENT.
(Translation: ONLY enlightened secular progessive elite's are permitted judgments).

cathy hansen, ruckersville, virginia, USA

ok, if you have to have sex as father and daughter (though it breaks every natural and moral law) then at least go with a condom and don't bring a child into the situation. think of this poor kid, with a sister for a mother and a grandfather for a dad. they really don't appear to care for the child's developmental well-being.

marco tilson, cordoba, spain,

I feel very sorry for the child. I would be ashamed to find out as that child when i was older and fully understood what had happened.

James , Leicester, UK

At the end of the day it is still not right.

gil, bristol, england

I second Robin.

(and they even LOOK like each other. Somehow it'd feel more "acceptable" if they didn't clearly look like relatives).

M.R., Stockport,

She was abandoned by her father when she was only one. Inside she would have longed for and searched for a father. Finally she meets her father again and within weeks her natural desire was warped into something sexual, as he encouraged her to abandon her relationship, just as he had done to her mother.

Finally, she has never managed to get that fathers love that she longed for so long.

Mark, Singapore,

This couple should have known better than to deliberately have a child especially as a previous child had already died, it is selfish and wrong to continue trying to have more children.

However, with reference to the incest, as long as they are prevented having children then I don't really see the problem. It's not something I would actively engage in myself but we should all have the freedom to marry whomever they like. It doesn't mean they are "evil" they just fell in love. As the judge said himself, this is not a horrible case of a father influencing and taking advantage of a vulnerable daughter, they were both consenting adults.

Lizzy, London, UK

Seduh, how can you justify your comment of "Its perfectly normal to be attracted to a cousin unlike this horror".
It's basically the same thing.
What this Austrilian couple have done is morally wrong; other that the normal social taboos attached to incest, and has been stared by many others here, the offspring of the union are very likely to suffer genetic defects.
However, first cousin marriages are still from very close family links. It is simply that first cousin marriages have been taking place since the middle ages in certain communities, and have been considered the "norm" due to their familiarity and common occurance.

Neil, Leeds, west yorkshire

I feel sorry for the 9 month old daughter. I think its best she is kept away from the grandfather otherwise history may repeat itself and in 20 years he might commit incest with her then he'll be a great grandfather, as the times title will no doubt read 'Australian man fathers child with grand daughter'

Ali , London, UK

This article has left me feeling sick to the pit of my stomach - This man was having sex with his daughter for goodness sake! They should be ashamed of their actions, both are older enough to know better.

He admits he knew it was illegal and yet he considers himself above the law....

I can't help but wonder what other illegal offences he has committed if he so blatantly ignores this one?

Keating, Manchester, England

This is sick and remarkbely some people are trying too offer
an explanation for this ugly crime. Well a few weeks back a lot of people were ranting and ravin against Islamic cousin marriages on the grounds that it would cost the nhs because of defects. Its perfectly normal to be attracted to a cousin unlike this horror. Are these monsters being supported because they are pure evil?

seduh, london, uk

Animals are not nearly so fastidious about avoiding incestuous relationships as people are. It's one of the ways that we have produced so many convenient breeds of dog, cow, horse, pig, sheep and poultry over the years - through incestuous breeding for the qualities and traits we like.

The curious thing is that the human animal has the incest taboo, but, as in this case, without childhood contact, it can't be formed properly.

Richard Haggis, Oxford, UK

This is really wretched and unacceptable in wathever name and fashion the guy may try to put it. How could one be that mean to do such a thing?!

Ebrahim Khodadoost, Ardebil , Iran

What I think is most disgusting is that he infact abandoned his family in the first place. He left his daughter and then came back and had her pregnant.
I
s she really in love with him or did she just feel happy that he didn´t reject her anymore?

Ana Tobar, Stockholm, Sweden

There is no justification for this type of behaviour. Emotions can be strong. However, they do not have to be acted upon. Why must the media report such things?

Kimberly Rada, Wilkesboro, NC USA

sad very sad. where are we going? homosexual marriages, and adoptions of children by them.
In the states there is a woman that became a man that is still a woman and has been inseminated by his wife? and is going to have a child.?
a father and his daugter having sex and children? and proud of it? and all she can say is "We’re normal intellectual adults who have had careers"?? is that an excuse or a justification?
what a world what an example for the generations to come.

M. Pedreira, Vitoria, Spain

Despicable in one word...

Ebrahim Khodadoost, Ardebil , Iran

An interesting book to read is called 'Farnhams Freehold' by Robert Heinlein where in a post nuclear world a Man, his daughter, his son, his wife, his servant and his daughters friend and they contemplate the inevitability of incest among their group - but it doesnt happen for other reasons.
Well in Genesis, Lot happens to be drunk at the time so the fact his daughters decided to get him drunk means he wasn't a horny old goat but would have refused had he been sober.

But in normal civilised society I dont see how incest can be justified. Then genetic problems inflicted on the kids alone should outweigh the desire. Think of the children!

Andy, york,

How can they ask for respect and understanding, by breaking one of the most important laws of mankind. Its worse than most of the animals.

Ashwin, Bristol,

There is something seriously wrong with these people...and it is more than any heart defect.

K. Tyson, Mobile, AL

Dan: while what you say about the genetic closeness mechanism is true, and while there is strong anecdotal evidence that related people who are separated at birth and later meet are often sexually attracted to one another, I would still argue that this is ENTIRELY the fault of the father and daughter. They knew they were related before embarking on a sexual relationship, and it doesn't require 'intellect' to know that children born of incestuous relationships are very likely to have genetic disorders. Sexual attraction can always be brought under control and is not an excuse for adultery or incest. Besides which, they could easily have decided to have a sexual relationship without being cruel enough to conceive a child. However, their 'who cares' attitude really sums up the whole situation and leaves me with no sympathy for either of them, only for their unfortunate child.

Emily, Cambridge,

All I can think of is..... What does the Daughters mother/ Gramdmother of the Offspring/ Ex-wife of the father think?

Joseph Kutchukov, Los Angeles, USA

This is as disgusting as it gets. I feel so very sorry for the child. Imagine the teasing and taunting she will face growing up from other kids, all because of the twisted, sick and SELFISH adults. Time will tell if she is healthy physically, but I would put my money on the fact that her mental health will suffer greatly.
The child should be removed by child protective services. Has any one considered the possibility that the father may decide this daughter if fair game also?!
He should be jailed. The adult daughter should be made to enter into intensive therapy as soon as they haul away "Daddy Dearest"
Catherine
USA

Catherine, Chicago, USA

Google Westermarck syndrome -- they lacked it. Natural revulsion to incest doesn't happen in humans unless they spend at least one party's formative years around each other.

Pauline, NY, NY

Poor children. Why does this stuff get published? Surely it would be best to deal with the parents discreetly rather than internationally. That poor innocent girl will be known as 'Celeste Incest' as long as she lives!

Paul, Southampton, UK

Are you serious, all of you who find a rationale? There is no excuse!

JoAnne Gottlieb, Henderson, Nevada

Reducing themselves to the level of animals. In fact I'm not sure that other animals behave this way as they instictively know it is wrong. It is nauseating to see that intelligent beings can think this is acceptable.

CA, CA, UK

This is beyond sick. Both the adults should be in jail and the small child in a loving foster home.

Kim Righetti, Upland, Calif. USA

This story is a tragedy and not totally the fault of the father/daughter.

There is a mechanism in the brain that deflects incestuous relationships when a young child grows up around adults and in fact other children. That's why kibbutzniks in Israel who grew up together rarely got married. The inbred 'genetic closeness' mechanism kicks in & tells them that they are probably brother sister or close cousins.

Freud fancied his mother (and therefore mistakenly thought all other boys must) since he was largely raised apart from his mother.

The father/daughter pair did not benefit from the 'genetic closeness' mechanism since the daughter was raised apart from the father. Therefore, they're not as guilty as a pair that was raised together.

They should know better, however, since their offspring could have serious problems resulting from recessive genes.

Dan, E. Hanover, NJ, USA

Disgraceful behaviour

Karen, manchester,

Scott, what the hell was that? what does it mean? Are you trying to say that just because back in the day some horny old goat who thought that he and his two daughters were the only ones left so he best make up numbers is an excuse for impregnating your daughter?
Regardless!
I sympathise for these guys I do but all you have to do is look at the current aristocracy to realise the risks of interbreeding.

Steve Williamson, Manchester, UK

This is evil. What is wrong with people, how could they even justify this. Kamogelo South Africa

kamogelo sebola, Joburg, South Africa

*Bleugh*
*Bleuuuugh*
*Bleugg-g-gh*
*Bleuuuggghg*
*Bleugghghghgh*
*Bleeeeeughgugh*

Robin Tudge, London,

this is evil, wicked and foolishness of the highest order, i mean , how could one make love with his own biological-daughter all in the name of <emotions of the head nd heart<.
that man deserves t be placed in isolation for some time. this is all i have t say for now.

michael johnson, zurich, zurich

In the 1974 Roman Polanski film entitled "Chinatown," the character Noah Cross, played by John Huston does in fact have daughter and concurrently a grand-daughter named Katherine Cross, played by Belinda Palmer, mohtered by his daughter, Evelyn Cross Mulway, played by Faye Dunawaye- The investigation into this relationship is the origin of one of the most famous lines from the film, "My daughter, my sister, my daughter, my sister, stop hitting me!!"-

-Perhaps, sometimes life does in fact imitate the arts...

Scott Benowitz, Rye, New York, U.S.A.

I thought that Australians spoke English, but clearly some of them don't know what "normal and "intellectual" mean.

Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Neither Homer nor Cinaethon in antiquity nor Freud in the latter half of the nineteenth century and the early decades of the twentieth century came up with this one-

-This situation, does however appear in the Book of Genesis when after fleeing from Zoar, Lot allegedly got both of his daughters pregnant after his wife somehow turned into a pillar of salt- At the time, they had been fled a series of natural disasters (or the wrath of God) to reside in a cave where they had believed that they were the only remaining three people in the entire world, although something about that story seems a little bit suspect to me... (If they were really the only three remaining people in the world, then who provided them with their wine, for example...) They would later discover after emerging from the cave that there had in fact been other survivors...

The truth will always be far, far stranger than fiction-

Scott Benowitz, Rye, New York, U.S.A.