A man found guilty of sexually assaulting his special needs stepdaughter in 2018 has been sentenced to a 12-year prison term, of which he must serve at least 10 years before being eligible for parole. At the time of the incident, the victim, who has an intellectual disability, was 17 years old.
During the sentencing, Justice Thushara Rajasinghe described rape as one of the most degrading and distressing crimes, emphasizing that it is particularly serious when involving a young person in a domestic setting. He labeled the offense as a grave crime and stressed the importance of deterring similar crimes through the sentencing.
Justice Rajasinghe highlighted the court’s duty to prevent both this offender and others from committing comparable offenses, thereby safeguarding the community. He indicated that a severe custodial sentence is necessary to convey the seriousness of such crimes and to reinforce society’s stance against them.
The judge noted a lack of evidence regarding the man’s character or any positive contributions to the community, leading him to conclude that the defendant should not receive any leniency based on previous behavior.