Grandfather figure jailed 10 years for rape of vulnerable teenager

A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment by the High Court in Labasa for sexually assaulting and raping a 16-year-old girl.

The offender appeared before Judge Justice Lee James Burney for sentencing on May 22, 2026.

The court heard that he had earlier pleaded guilty to two representative counts of sexual assault and rape committed between January 1 and October 31, 2025.

Justice Burney said the offending was serious and involved a breach of trust because the offender lived in the same household as the complainant and was regarded as a grandfather figure.

The complainant was particularly vulnerable because of an intellectual impairment and functioned at approximately a Year One level.

In sentencing, Justice Burney emphasised the need for courts to denounce sexual offences against children and impose sentences that reflected the gravity of such crimes.

The court considered aggravating factors, including the complainant's vulnerability and the domestic relationship, which increased the seriousness of the offending.

The offender's early guilty plea and co-operation with Police were taken into account, resulting in a one-third reduction in sentence.

Justice Burney imposed a non-parole period of six years and five months, taking into account time already served in custody.

The convict has 30 days to appeal the sentence.