Dad found guilty of rape of 6-year-old daughter; abuse took place during visitation (Nicosia, Cyprus)

UNNAMED DAD has been found guilty--after he confessed--of raping his 6-year-old daughter, and has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Note that Dad was divorced from the girl's mother, and that the abuse took place during his visitation.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/father-s-rape-daughter-6-heinous-crime/20100416

Father’s rape of daughter, 6, a ‘heinous crime’
By Alexia Saoulli
Published on April 16, 2010 +

A 42-YEAR-OLD father was yesterday jailed for ten years after he was found guilty of sexually abusing his youngest daughter when she was six in what the judges called a ‘heinous and revolting crime.’

The Nicosia Assize Court found the man guilty of four charges including rape, incest, sexual abuse of a minor and corruption of a female under the age of 13.

The crimes were committed sometime between March and June 2006, the court said.

At the time of the abuse the man and his ex-wife, with whom he has two daughters now aged 12 and 10, had already been divorced six years and the man was living with his mother and new wife.

The father used to see his daughters several hours a week and at the weekends when they stayed with him, the court said.

The abuse came to light when on March 10, 2009 the girl’s mother was cleaning her daughter’s bedroom and spotted the child’s diary under her pillow where she made reference to the rape.

The mother immediately contacted the Social Welfare Services about what had happened and the following day both mother and daughter visited the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family.

A statement was then taken from the child where she said one day between March and June 2006 her father entered her bedroom and sexually abused her. Her older sister was in the room at the time playing on the computer. Although the child was examined by a state pathologist, who found her hymen intact, the fact that something had entered her cervix could not be ruled out.

In their decision the three Assize Court judges said: “We note that the offences were committed in the presence of the complainant’s sister who was eight and a half at the time which indicates the defendant’s determination and his total lack of respect for his biological children. These are offences that literally annihilate the victim’s personality. A very incriminating factor is the victim’s young age and the fact that the defendant was her father, which indicates that the defendant abused his position towards the victim in the worst way. They are heinous and revolting crimes. An innocent girl at a tender age, instead of finding protection, love and affection from her father, was met with most inhuman and humiliating treatment that only people with animal instincts resort to.”

When the 42-year-old was he initially denied any wrongdoing. He later changed his plea to guilty but later changed it back to not guilty. He was released on bail pending his trial.

On March 2, 2010 the 42-year-old had a change of heart again and changed his plea back to guilty.