A man convicted for a count of rape and a count of assault causing actual bodily harm was sentenced to seven years by the High Court in Suva on Thursday.

The offender was in a defacto relationship with the victim when he raped her after she refused to have sex with him.

The incident happened on July 21, 2013 when the victim returned from church at 9.30am and the offender asked her to sleep with him but she refused.

The court heard that he then forcefully raped her and used a knife to threaten her; he then punched and kicked her and accused the victim of sleeping with another man.

The accused had pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by the assessors. The judge agreed with the assessors on both counts.

The two have four children between the age of one and eight years and they were watching and crying when the man assaulted her.

Judge Justice Priyantha Fernando, while delivering sentence said the offender breached his partner’s trust in him and he committed the assault while their children watched.

He was given seven years for rape, and 10 months for the second count of assault causing bodily harm. The sentences are to be served concurrently and he would be eligible for parole after five years.

A permanent domestic violence restraining order has also been issued.

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