.gif)
A 44-year-old Fiji man has been sentenced to 16 years imprisonment for raping and indecently assaulting his 14-year-old daughter two years ago.
Passing sentenced in the High Court in Lautoka today, Judge Justice Paul Madigan described the offences as a gross breach of trust.
“A 14 year old is still not mature and the animal behaviour of her father will surely scar her for the rest of her life,” said Justice Madigan.
“The courts cannot ignore the severity of such behaviour. It is a breach of trust of the worst kind and a destruction of a father/daughter relationship.”
Justice Madigan said there was no meaningful mitigation and in any event the man had four previous convictions for rape in the year 2000.
“Those convictions afford him no credit,” he said.
“The fact that it was his own daughter and that he used his status as her father to override her will I take as a serious aggravating feature.”
“Rape and indecent assaults by a father on a 14 year old daughter does not make him a role model in my court. The crimes are abominable and are becoming far too common in Fiji,” Justice Madigan said.
