Litia Cava 
A 53-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the repeated sexual abuse of his young daughter over a five-year period.
The High Court heard that the offences began when the child was five and continued until she was ten.
The criminal acts took place within the family home and involved repeated acts of rape and sexual assault.
High Court judge Justice Daniel Goundar noted the particularly aggravating factors including the victim’s young age, the abuse taking place in the safety of her own home and the exploitation of parental trust.
The abuse, he said was systematic involving threats and manipulation and has caused lasting psychological harm with the child diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and ongoing anxiety.
The accused pleaded guilty to 12 counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault.
The Court accepted the pre-sentencing report which noted limited remorse and a lack of full acceptance of responsibility, although the man is considered a first-time offender and had spent time in remand.
In line with recent case law on the rape of children by trusted family members, the Court imposed life imprisonment for each rape count with an 18-year non-parole period after reductions for the early guilty plea and remand time.
The two sexual assault counts carry six-year sentences to be served concurrently.
The Court also imposed a permanent order to protect the victim’s identity and made a Domestic Violence Restraining Order permanent including standard no-contact and non-molestation conditions.
Justice Goundar said the sentence reflects the severity of the offences, the need for community protection and the importance of denouncing child sexual abuse.
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