"18 months' jail for rapist of girl, 12"
- Details
- Category: Uncategorised
- Created: Sunday, 24 November 2013 23:30
- Written by Stephen Ryan - Newcastle Herald
Judge Peter Berman told Newcastle District Court yesterday the offender, who cannot be identified, felt like a ‘‘low life’’ but put ‘‘some of the blame on the [victim] by suggesting that she had a crush on him’’.
The offender, who previously pleaded guilty to three counts of raping a child aged 10 to 14, began his relationship with her when he was 18.
The relationship became a sexual one when she turned 12 but she did not understand what he was doing to her the first time they had sex, Judge Berman said.
In May last year she went to bed and was awoken by the offender having sex with her. Hours later she was rushed to John Hunter Hospital where it was discovered she was pregnant.
She gave birth by caesarean to a boy at 30 weeks’ gestation that day and suffered a potentially fatal abruption of the uterus that caused extensive bleeding and required a number of blood transfusions.
Police were informed and the baby was placed in the care of the Department of Family and Community Services.
The victim was removed from her mother’s care for some time after it was discovered the mother knew the offender and the girl were regularly sleeping in the same bed.
Judge Berman said the offender came from a dysfunctional family where both of his parents were drug addicts who received substantial payments as foster carers for numerous children.
The parents have since separated after the mother had a relationship with one of the foster children while the offender’s brother is in jail over an incident related to the mother’s conduct, Judge Berman said.
The offender had moved in with the victim’s family before he began having sex with her, usually when his girlfriend did not spend the night.
Judge Berman jailed the offender for three years with a non-parole period of 18 months. (Source : http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1932159/18-months-jail-for-rapist-of-girl-12/?cs=305)
