An 18-year-old Cakaudrove man was sentenced yesterday to eight years in jail for rape by the High Court in Labasa.

The accused who appeared before Justice Paul Madigan was not given any minimum term to serve before being eligible for parole.

The court heard that on February 5, the man had touched the private part of a sleeping seven-year-old girl.

The girl woke up crying and her mother walked in, who caught the accused red-handed.

The man also related the incident to a church elder that evening and when making his court appearance, pleaded guilty to the charge.

While handing out the judgement, Justice Paul Madigan said: “There is aggravation of the offence in that there has been a breach of trust.

“The mother, allowing the accused to sleep in the tent with her and her daughter, trusts that the accused will molest neither her, nor the child and the accused has breached that trust.

“Despite the heinous abuse, the accused has a good deal of mitigation to his credit. He is very remorseful and has co-operated with the authorities from the outset.”

The court heard that the young man was a first offender and had just turned 18.

“It is inevitable and regrettable that because of the seriousness of his abuse that he will have to spend years of his progress to full maturity in the company of hardened convicts; but he must be given the opportunity of redemption and a chance to be once again useful for his rural community,” Justice Madigan said.

“The accused is sentenced to eight years imprisonment with no minimum term to be served before being eligible to apply for parole.”

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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