Court stresses child protection in rape sentencing

The High Court in Labasa has highlighted the prevalence of serious sexual offending against children by elderly and vulnerable men in the community.

This was highlighted by Justice Lee James Burney when he sentenced a 65-year-old step-grandfather who was convicted of one count of rape against his 13-year-old grandson.

Details of the offence

On May 2, 2025, the victim accompanied a friend to collect bele from his step-grandfather’s farm.

The step-grandfather sent the friend away to collect the bele and instructed the victim to go inside his bedroom, where he committed the offence.

When the friend returned and called for the victim to come out of the house, the offender threatened to chop the boy with a cane knife if he told anyone.

Justice Burney said the imperative to protect children against the lustful attentions of morally bankrupt old men required sentencing courts to cast aside any qualms that elderly offenders may not outlive appropriate sentences.

State prosecutor Estein Thaggard told the court that the offending was made more serious by the wide disparity in age between the offender and victim and the breach of trust.

The offender was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years and eight months.