A man who raped his two-year-old cousin has been sentenced to 11 years in prison with a non-parole period of nine years.

The incident took place at a village in Rakiraki on March 7, 2020.

The court heard that on the night of the offense, the 28-year-old was seen playing with the female victim on the porch of the house while her mother was away.

When the lights were turned off, he moved to a room and the victim followed.

It was in that room that the assault occurred.

The victim’s aunt, alerted by the darkness on the porch entered the house and found the child on the floor without her pants

The offender was sitting on the bed wearing only a towel.

The victim immediately complained to her aunt about the incident, causing an outcry.

The victim’s mother returning home late that night was informed of the incident and she reported it to the police the following morning.

High Court judge Justice Ariina Aluthge stated that the court considered the seriousness of the offense and the harm caused to the victim, selected a starting point of 11 years, which falls within the range prescribed by the Sentencing and Penalties Act 2009 for juvenile rape.

The court then identified several aggravating factors, including the considerable age gap between the offender and the victim, his exploitation of the child’s vulnerability, the injuries inflicted and the breach of trust as the victim’s cousin in a domestic environment.

On the other hand, mitigating factors included the offender’s age and cooperation with the police.

Adding three years for aggravating factors and subtracting one year for mitigating factors, the court arrived at a final sentence of 11 years.

Justice Aluthge emphasized the severity of child rape as a form of sexual violence and stressed the need for deterrent sentences to protect vulnerable children in society.

The High Court judge adds that the sentencing is intended to send a clear message that such crimes will be met with severe punishment.

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