The Labasa High Court has jailed a 58-year-old man for 10 years after convicting him of raping a 5-year-old girl.
The incident took place on Taveuni on April 29, 2025, when the man lured the girl into his house to TikTok.
The court noted on March 7, 2014, the accused was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment for rape of a 11 year old child and had served 8 years before his release.
“Protection of the community is my overriding purpose in light of my concluded view that the offender is a committed paedophile,” said Justice Lee Burney in his July 18 ruling.
“He re-offended within a few years of being released from a lengthy sentence for rape of a young child.”
“I have less regard to deterrence and rehabilitation. The offender is a repeat sexual offender against young children. The lengthy term of imprisonment imposed on him in 2014 neither deterred his repeat offending nor rehabilitated him.”
“Rather, my principal focus in determining the just and proportionate sentence in this case is protection of the community.”
“I also consider it important in cases such as this for the sentence imposed to adequately signify that the court and the community denounce the commission of sexual offending against children.”
The judge imposed a non-parole period is 8 years 9 months.
