A 38-year-old farmer has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment by the Labasa High Court for raping his step daughter on two separate occasions in the Northern Division.
The man pleaded guilty to two counts of rape.
The first incident happened in 2015 when the girl was 13 years old and she moved into the man’s house with her mother who was in a relationship with him.
The second incident happened in October, 2016 when the girl was 14 years old.
Judge Justice, Paul Madigan says that the sexual abuse of children by a parent or senior relative is a gross breach of trust as well as a breach of several of the child’s constitutional rights.
He can apply for parole after serving ten years in jail.
