Outrage as man who raped girl , 4 , walks free

[Belangalo]

Article at smh.com.au March 3 2009 Alexandra Smith and Belinda Kontominas

The Opposition has demanded that the Director Of Public Prosecutions urgently appeal against the sentence of a 24-year-old man wao escaped jail despite pleading guilty to raping a four-year-old girlas she slept at her grandmothers house.

The man , who cannot be named , was given a two-year suspended jail term in the District Court in sydney on February 5 after he pleaded guilty to breakingt into a house at Gulmarrad near Yamba in November 2007 and sexually assaulting the girl.

Police were called to the house on November 22 after the girl's grandmother discovered her car had been broken into. When they arrived , the girl told them that a man had been inside the house overnight and had sexually assaulted her. The man was arrested five day's after the attack when police matched him to DNA on clothing found at the scene.

He was charged with sexual assault of a person under the age of 10 as well as several other charges including break and enter. The man spent 14 months in prison awaiting his sentence but walked free after his appearance last month.

The shadow attornety-general , Greg Smith , said the Director of Public Prosecutions should urgently consider an appeal and describe the sentence as ''unbelievable''.

''It seems totally inappropriate for the court to impose such a light sentence where the maximum penalty for such an offence is 25 years. An explanation is required ,'' he said.

Mr Smith said the leniency of the sentence sent a poor message to the community.

''The community have a right to expect the punishment to fit the crime. Here the crime was against a four-year-old child ,'' he said.

The girl's MP , Steve Cansdell , said he was ''angry and disgusted'' the man had been released. ''I have had a crisis meeting with shadow attorney-general Greg Smith and he has agreed the NSW Opposition will do everything possible to convince the Director of Public Prosecutions to appeal this ridiculously lenient sentence.

[old_soul]

They least they could have done was 'accidentally' castrate the SOB (oops, sorry fella ) He's only 24 and has the rest of a probable long life to continue ruining other children's!

Yes, definately should have had the Lorena Bobbit special...and thrown away the 'key' too!

I wonder how this little girl is doing? Keep us informed if you hear anything else on this, and thank you.