Father jailed 21 years for sexually assaulting 10-year-old daughter

A father who sexually assaulted his ten-year-old biological daughter was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by High Court in Labasa.

The 35-year-old causal labourer charged with five counts of serious sexual assault was convicted by Justice Lee James Burney.

The father of four children committed the offences in August 2023 in the Northern Division.

During the sentencing on November 19, Justice Burney uttered the exact words of the victim, where she said in court during the trial in August this year: “My father betrayed my trust, he should go behind bars, he is an animal; because of him I can’t trust anybody and he spoiled my life.”

The judge told the father that his repeated sexual abuse on the daughter was a gross breach of that relationship of trust.

Justice Burney also elaborated to him that he carefully considered the victim’s impact statement, which vividly sets out the emotional, financial and familial impact of his offending against her.

He encouraged him to reflect at length on the inevitable harm that his offending has caused to her daughter and other children and to engage with any intervention programmes that may be available to him during his period of incarceration.