Jury retires at abusive stepfather's trial

A jury has begun deliberating at the trial of a Sydney man who admits sexually abusing his stepdaughter for years but denies drugging her and his wife, and molesting another stepdaughter.

The 45-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded guilty to 99 charges relating to the sexual abuse of his stepdaughter when she was aged 12 to 15.

The District Court jurors retired about midday on Friday to consider the charges which the man has denied, after he told them the stepdaughter drugged her mother because the girl was in love with him and wanted "our time".