The High Court in Suva has sentenced a man to 16 years and 10 months in prison for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter. Justice Thushara Rajasinghe delivered the sentence after the former primary school teacher was found guilty of multiple charges, including three counts of rape, along with indecent and sexual assault.
The court heard that from 2017 to 2018, the man had indecently and sexually assaulted the girl, who was 17 years old at the time of the incidents, in their home. Although he initially pleaded guilty to five counts, he was ultimately convicted after the State presented three witnesses, including the victim, during the trial.
On September 27, the judgement was made, followed by the sentencing the following Friday. Justice Rajasinghe emphasized the emotional and psychological toll the crime had taken on the victim, pointing out the growing problem of sexual exploitation of children within domestic settings.
The court determined that the stepfather had committed the offenses while the complainant was alone and unable to escape or seek help. It was noted that he had exploited his role as a caregiver to manipulate her into providing him with sexual gratification, taking advantage of her vulnerability and young age.
Despite being forgiven by both his stepdaughter and her mother, he continued to pursue further assaults when opportunities arose. The court did consider his previous good character, acknowledging his 30 years of service as a primary school teacher.
The man will serve his sentence with a non-parole period of 14 years and 10 months. Additionally, a permanent domestic violence restraining order has been placed against him, which includes standard no-contact and no-molestation conditions. Any breach of this order will result in prosecution under Section 77 of the Domestic Violence Act.