The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been due to stand trial in Wollongong District Court on Monday however entered last minute pleas of guilty to five counts of indecent assault.

An agreed set of facts tendered to the court said the man was visiting the girl’s family at their Illawarra home in late 2009 when he fondled his granddaughter’s genitals and kissed her.

In one encounter, he encouraged her to hide under a blanket on his bed during a game of hide and seek so he could molest her.

The girl disclosed the assaults to her mother and father – the man’s son – and they confronted the grandfather, however he denied all the allegations.

The girl has had no contact with the man since.

He was arrested and charged in May 2017 after the matter was reported to police earlier that year.

The man remains on strict conditional bail and will be sentenced at a later date.