A man who sexually violated and raped a girl when she was aged about 13 and who repeatedly offended against her in the same way when she was 17, resulting in her having a baby, has been jailed for 12 years.
Sentencing Teinaopenga Rouvi (51) in the Dunedin District Court yesterday, Judge Stephen O'Driscoll also imposed a minimum non-parole period of eight years. Rouvi had admitted sexually violating the girl by unlawful sexual connection, and rape, on November 9, 1999, when she was aged about 13 and he was 38; and two representative counts of sexually violating her by unlawful sexual connection, and rape, during the six months from when she was aged 17 years and three months.
The summary, from Crown counsel Craig Power, said the victim tried to move away from Rouvi when he touched her indecently during the 1999 incident. But Rouvi followed her and continued the indecency. He later went into her bedroom and raped her. The victim felt sore and uncomfortable as a result and stayed home "sick" for the rest of the week.
During the six-month period of offending when the girl was 17, Rouvi would touch her indecently most days and would sometimes rape her more than once a day. Many times she would be crying when he raped her.
She once told Rouvi she was pregnant, although she was not.
But that did not stop him. She later became pregnant to him and had a baby.
Rouvi persisted in the first offending and in the later offending raped the victim "on a virtually daily basis, often more than once", Mr Power said. No protection was used. After repeated acts of raping her, a child resulted.
The victim impact statement made "harrowing" reading.
Counsel Sarah Saunderson-Warner agreed the offending was "very serious". Rouvi, when initially interviewed, acknowledged some responsibility. In a video interview, he expressed remorse and sorrow. He was brought to tears by the victim impact statement and was motivated to rehabilitate. He had begun attending counselling prior to police involvement.
Judge O'Driscoll said the victim impact statement was sad reading but "thoughtful and insightful". The victim talked about her teenage years, not being able to form relationships, wanting to be close to another but unable to trust people, and of suicidal thoughts.
An aggravating factor was the "very regular" extent of the offending, the judge said.
Another was its callousness "where she resisted you and was crying". It was clear she did not consent.
Rouvi's guilty pleas were the major mitigating factor. They saved the victim having to give evidence and re-live what occurred.
From a starting point of 17 years' jail, the judge allowed a four and a-half year discount.
Rouvi had pleaded guilty, he had been to counselling before the matter reached police, and "I think you are remorseful".
