A Western Bay man snatched away the childhood of his stepdaughter as he repeatedly raped her over five years and got her pregnant, a judge said.
Yesterday, the stepfather faced the court for the years of abuse that started before the girl had reached her 12th birthday.
It began after the victim's
mother married him and continued for the next five years with regular frequency _ even after the victim fell pregnant with his child.
It was only two months after the baby was born that she finally had the courage to speak up about who the father was.
When questioned by police, the man confessed immediately.
The stepfather, who has permanent name suppression to protect his victim, stood in the dock at Tauranga District Court yesterday.
Judge Thomas Ingram said his victim's impact statement made for "some harrowing reading".
"She has had her childhood taken away from her. She says her life has completely changed, which I think is a great understatement," Judge Ingram said.
As he stood in the dock, the man's head was slightly bowed and hands clasped in front.
He remained emotionless as he was sentenced to 12 years in jail.
He was convicted of two counts each of rape of a girl aged under 12, indecent assault of a girl under 12 and indecent assault of a female aged between 12 and 16.
He also faced one charge each of rape of a female aged between 12 and 16 and unlawful sexual connection with a female aged between 12 and 16.
The man cannot apply for parole for at least seven years.
He was given a reduction on the starting point of 18 years for his immediate plea of guilty _ sparing his victim the trauma of recounting the abuse at trial.
