Sex offender Jamie Lawrence Irwin has been sentenced to 12 years jail for raping a child and other offences.
Irwin, 40, was sentenced in the Whanganui District Court yesterday.
Judge David Cameron, who called the crimes "despicable", sentenced Irwin to a 12-year prison term for the rape charge to beserved concurrently with sentences for unlawful sexual connection with a girl under 12 and indecency with a child.
Irwin forced the victim to perform oral sex on him, which Judge Cameron said amounted to "culpability factors the same as rape" and sentenced Irwin to six-year sentences for each offence.
Defence lawyer Richard Leith asked for a discount to be considered because of Irwin's health issues and said he has been diagnosed with the "depressive illness of bipolar and a heart condition."
Judge Cameron said a psychologist's report described Irwin's condition as "stable and well-managed" and there were no concerns about his mental health.
Irwin's offending began when his victim was 8 years old.
The victim never told anyone about his actions because she said he had threatened her and she "feared what he might do" if she told anyone.
In a report a counsellor described the victim as a "highly anxious child who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder."
The report went on to say that she has "a long-term sense of confused identity and fears that she will not be able to have a happy, trusting relationship with others."
"He needs to be held accountable for his despicable actions and the community needs to be kept safe," said Judge Cameron.
"The defendant continues to deny the charges and there are no mitigating factors."
Judge Cameron ordered the name suppression of all civilian witnesses associated with the caseto protect the identity of the victim.
