8 years jail for child sex predator [1]
Monday, April 14, 2008 - 23:39. Updated on Monday, July 27, 2015 - 16:30.
"Innocent young children must be protected from predators like yourself," Tonga's Chief Justice said in handing down an eight-year prison sentence on a man who sexually abused a five-year-old girl who was on her way home from school.
Limihai Hu'akau (27) the son of a church bishop, and a former missionary, the judge said, had committed one of the most serious offences in the statute books outside of murder and treason.
He was appearing in the Supreme Court of Tonga before Chief Justice A. Ford on April 11 for sentencing on one count of canal knowledge of a girl under the age of 12 contrary to section 121 of the Criminal Offences Act.
"To satisfy your own lust that day you, in a short space of time carried out indecencies on this little five-year-old girl that will affect her for the rest of her life. You stole her childhood innocence. Nothing I now say can sum up the total disgust, which everyone associated with your disgraceful conduct must feel. I can safely say that those same feelings will be shared by all right-thinking members of Tongan society," Chief Justice Ford remarked.
Lunchtime
The victim was in class one at a local Government Primary School and she was walking home from school at lunchtime with some of her young friends.
The Probation Officer reported that as the children passed by his house Hu'akau called to the victim to go to the shop and buy him some matches, as a pretext to get one of the female children inside the house. The victim followed him to his room to get some money to go and buy the matches. When the victim refused his advances he forced himself on her and the offence took place.
Later the girl returned with her mother and Hu'akau apologised and admitted what he had done.
Hu'akau who is single, was working as a security guard on nightshift at the time of the offending. He left Liahona High School in Form 5 in 1997, and later served two years on church missionary work.
"Your parents are obviously good church people. Your father is a Bishop. Understandably they were shocked to learn what you had done. They apologised in the traditional Tongan manner while you were still in police custody. Although your parents continue to support you, the Probation Officer reports that many of your extended family wanted you to change your surname because of the disgrace you have brought on the family name," the Chief Justice remarked.
Injuries
The court requested a victim impact report.
The Probation Officer who described the victim as a "a delightful little girl who looks happy, clean and healthy," noted that he had no doubt that what Hu'akau did to her on that day will affect her whole life.
After the incident the child spent three days in hospital for medical treatment and inspection, and after the girl's physical injuries had healed they had a hard time trying to help her get the offence out of her mind. The girl's teachers noticed changes in her concentration and behaviour, and concluded that the victim will be greatly affected by the incident.
Chief Justice Ford told Hu'akau, "Your offending was of the most serious category imaginable. A little girl in her innocence was kind enough to answer your call to buy something for you from the local shop. You rewarded her kindness by taking away her childhood innocence forever. A strong deterrent message is called for. Innocent young children must be protected from predators like yourself."
He took the guilty plea into consideration in imposing eight years imprisonment.
Counsel for the Crown was Mr Kefu, and counsel for Hu'akau was Mr Kengike.