"We would like to thank the court, the police and the people of New Zealand. It has been a very emotional evening for us."
The court heard how Marino had come from a troubled, violent background and dysfunctional family and was drunk at the time of the attack and could recall little of it.
He had been bullied, abused, attempted suicide and began taking drugs and alcohol from an early age, the court heard.
The families of both of his parents had been involved in gangs.
But the defence ruled out that attack was gang-motivated, and said Marino had been drinking over eight to 10 hours at an unsupervised party.
Earlier this month, the girl's family, who watched today's sentencing via video link, said they bore no grudge against New Zealand, and announced they had donated 20,000 toward four organisations.
Along with $5000 to benefit a new playground in Turangi, the money will help buy paediatric surgical instruments and items for Waikato Hospital's Waikids Ward 26, support agency ECPAT Child Alert NZ Ltd and Victim Support Hamilton.
