AN Australian father and daughter had a baby girl together, and had another child who died a few days after birth from a congenital heart disease, court documents show.

John Earnest Deaves and his daughter Jennifer Anne Deaves are at the center of an incest scandal in South Australia over their seven-year relationship.

Last month Judge Steven Millsteed banned the couple from having sex with each other, but released them on a three-year, US$460 good behavior bond.

The pair have spoken publicly, asking for some respect and understanding.

But their relationship has been condemned by Jennifer Deaves?mother Joan, and by her father抯 second wife Dorothy, who also cast doubts on claims John and Jennifer Deaves had virtually no contact for 30 years before the relationship began.

The couple has been serving three-year good behavior bonds since March this year, after pleading guilty to two counts of incest.

District Court sentencing judge Steven Millsteed said the first count of incest was based on an act of sexual intercourse which resulted in the birth of the couple抯 first child.

The second count of incest related to an act of sexual intercourse which resulted in the birth of their second child in May last year.

John Deaves?first wife, Joan said yesterday children deserved a better chance in life than one that originated in incest.

After the birth of their second child they moved to a town, near the Victorian border where the Department of Families and Communities became aware of their relationship and turned the matter over to police.

Judge Millsteed said that when contacted by police the Deaves made full admissions.

He said both Jennifer and John Deaves told him that they accepted their sexual relationship must end but hoped they would be able to continue to support one another and the children. (SD-Agencies)