Litia Cava 
A 60-year-old man from Rabi has been sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl inside a church hall.
The alleged incident took place on May 10, 2023, in Rabi.
High Court judge Justice Lee Burney emphasized the seriousness of the offence and the vulnerability of the victim.
Although the act could have been charged as rape, the Director of Public Prosecutions proceeded with a charge of sexual assault.
The man was diagnosed with schizophrenia and a mild to moderate intellectual disability.
He was found fully aware of his wrongdoing by the court.
The man was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of five years and four months.
After deducting 25 months already served in custody, his effective sentence is five years and eleven months with a non-parole period of three years and three months.
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