[File Photo]

A 56-year-old man will spend 19 years behind bars for raping an eight-year-old girl.

While delivering sentence, the Suva High Court labelled the perpetrator a dangerous, manipulative sexual predator of prepubescent children, who must be protected from him.

The perpetrator and his partner had been caring for the child since her parents were jobless and couldn’t provide for her.

The court heard that the man had been abusing the girl over a three and a half year period since 2017.

He has been found guilty of five counts of rape and two counts of attempted rape.

The court states the offences involved the exploitation and abuse of a vulnerable child over a long period and that the depravity was extreme as the victim was subjected to repeated abuse in every imaginable form.

The court goes on to say that this is a severe crime, and the rape of a child is an appalling and perverse use of male power.

A non-parole period of 13 years and three months has been set by the court.

A permanent domestic violence restraining order has also been issued to protect the victim.