A 53 year old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to raping his daughter from when she was 5 to when she was 10 years old.
The Suva man had pleaded guilty to 12 counts of rape and 2 counts of sexual assault.
During the sentencing, High Court Judge, Justice Daniel Goundar said the young girl's victim impact statement reveals profound psychological harm, and she was diagnosed with symptoms consistent with PTSD, suffering nightmares, flashbacks, intense anxiety including feelings of guilt and shame.
In mitigation, the man blamed demons for his crimes, failed to accept responsibility, and showed limited remorse, undermining prospects of rehabilitation.
After handing down the life sentence, Justice Gounder directed that the man will not be eligible for parole until he has served a non-parole period of 18 years, reduced by a total of 6 years in recognition of his early guilty plea and the time he spent in remand.
