A 45 year-old man has been jailed for 12 years for raping his niece on two occasions.

The Court heard that the man had been staying with the victim’s family while working at the nearby backpacker’s hotel.

He committed both offences when the victim was sleeping at night.
The man – who is married with two children, is a relative of the victim’s mother.

In sentencing the man, Judge Justice Thusara Rajasinge stated that this is a case of child rape by a known and close person in the domestic environment and such crimes cause a multitude of psychological trauma on the child.

He says the child will definitely lose the trust and confidence not only in herself but also in her family and domestic environment.

Justice Thusara told the man, that he breached the trust and confidence the victim had in him and manipulatively used the vulnerability of her childhood to satisfy his reprehensible lust for sexual gratification.

He told him, that in doing what he did, he has denied the girl her childhood and natural growth with nature.

The man will be eligible for parole after serving nine years.

He has 30 days to appeal his sentence.