Rape and sexual violation have become almost normal for a Hamilton 11-year-old abused for at least four years by three men.
On three separate occasions she has had to give evidence at trials, and suffer playground taunts from children who knew of the assaults.
In the Hamilton District Court on Thursday, her stepfather, Bazil David Grant, 49, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment with a non-parole period of eight. He had claimed during his trial that the girl instigated the encounters.
In a victim impact statement partly read by Judge Neil MacLean, the girl said: "I think old men are gross and yuck. Now I don't trust any of them any more, all they seem to want to do is sexually abuse me."
At the start of the three-day jury trial last month, Grant pleaded guilty to two charges of indecent assault. The jury found him guilty of three charges of unlawful sexual connection and one of rape.
A relative of the girl was sentenced in June last year to five years' jail for unlawful sexual connection and indecent assault.
A family friend who abused her was sentenced to 5 1/2 years' in 1998.
Police say Child Youth and Family has worked with the family and believes it is still the best place for her.
Crown prosecutor Rowan Butler said Grant had chosen to prey on the vulnerable. Knowing the girl's history, he had sought her out in the car, in the lounge of her home, in her bedroom and even in the kitchen while she tried to do her homework.
"Sexual offending has become somewhat of a norm for her at the tender age of 11. For her the effects will be catastrophic."
What made it worse was his suggestion that she instigated the encounters.
Defence counsel Chris Tennet said Grant believed the accusations had been brought about by previous offences against her.
He asked that Grant's name be suppressed because the girl had suffered playground taunts over the previous cases. This was refused by Judge MacLean, who said Grant's offending was predatory paedophilia and he had shown no remorse.
- NZPA
12 years for abuser
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