Child molester gets 8-year jail term-• 41 child abuse cases registered in one year |16 February 2013

That was the longest term the court could have given the abuser although magistrate Brassel Adeline – who found him guilty – noted that society has voiced its concern over child abuse by replacing the maximum 20-year possible sentence in force then with one of life imprisonment.

He noted that during the last 12 months or so 41 new cases of child abuse have been registered.

“The fact that the offence in 2004 carried a maximum prison sentence of 20 years which has since been increased to life imprisonment, is indicative of the fact that the offence is very serious. This in itself, is an expression of society’s denunciation of such an offence directed at the public at large, victims, potential offenders and individual offenders,” said Mr Adeline.

“The severity of the sentences seeks to make a statement that the offence in question is not to be tolerated by society either in general or in a specific instance.

“The victim of this hideous crime is a 17-year-old male minor who was only a 10-year-old adolescent in his early puberty age. He came from a dysfunctional family, and as such, he was one of the disadvantaged members of our society. This in itself aggravates the offence.

“The convict, a grown up adult who profited on the minor’s vulnerability, offers him money in return for anal sex with him in order to meet his sexual desires. A pedophile who was reckless in pursuing his pedophilia. That was evident, in that he would not give any thoughts to the actual and potential physical and psychological harm which his victim would sustain or endure for the rest of his life.

“This court has taken judicial notice, that in recent months, the number of sexual assault cases filed at the court’s registry where the victims of the assaults are minors have increased to an unprecedented level. I am informed that in the last year or so, a total of 41 new cases have been registered. Therefore, in considering the prevalence of the offence, the figure shows an increase in reported cases and in the number of cases being investigated and prosecuted.

Not only does the number of cases filed give reasons for concern, it also shows that not all of our children are safe whether at home, in the community or in our society at large. That is a testimony that they are prone and vulnerable to different physical and psychological abuse so long as the perverts and pedophiles are at large.”