A seven-years imprisonment to deter others from committing such a serious crime of rape was imposed on a 37-year old man from Longlongo for raping and indecent assaulting his young stepdaughter.

Feleti Tautua'a appeared for sentencing before Justice Robert Shuster on Monday, April 18 at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.

Justice Shuster initially sentenced the convicted man to eight years imprisonment for four counts that included one rape, two indecent assaults on a child and one count of having carnal knowledge on a child committed between 2005-10.

He suspended the final year for one year, because of Tautua'a was a first time offender who pleaded guilty and had showed remorse.

This meant that Tautua'a serves seven years at Hu'atolitoli Prison.

Justice Shuster said the crime committed against the young victim was a continuous conduct, and is a particularly serious offence.

The convicted man serves his imprisonment term immediately but was dated back to March 24 of this year when he was remanded in police custody.

The young victim who is now 15 years old was only nine-years-old in 2005.