A married man convicted of raping his then 15-year-old niece has been sentenced to 13 years, 10 months, and 27 days in prison.
Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu handed down the sentence yesterday after finding the man guilty of one count of sexual assault and three counts of rape.
The incident occurred in July 2022 while the victim was staying overnight at the man’s house at her aunt’s request. Early in the morning, after returning from a night shift, the man waited for his wife to leave for her morning walk.
He then entered the bedroom where his niece was resting, placed a pillow over her face to silence her cries and conceal his identity, and subjected her to multiple non-consensual sexual acts. The pillow came off the victim’s face when the man took his pants off so she was able to see him clearly.
Traumatised and fearful of her uncle, the victim initially kept the assaults a secret before finding the courage to confide in her mother.
According to her Victim Impact Statement, the trauma severely disrupted the teenager’s life. She struggled to face family and friends, felt isolated due to external criticism and intimidation, and was unable to complete her Year 11 education.
The offender will be eligible for parole after serving 12 years of his head sentence.
