A MAN accused of raping and impregnating his 11-year-old stepdaughter pleaded not guilty to the crime and accused his stepdaughter of “raping” him instead.
The 54-year-old man resides in Cradock and is accused of repeatedly raping his stepdaughter last year between the months of June and October.
A MAN accused of raping and impregnating his 11-year-old stepdaughter pleaded not guilty to the crime and accused his stepdaughter of “raping” him instead.
The 54-year-old man resides in Cradock and is accused of repeatedly raping his stepdaughter last year between the months of June and October.
He told the court that his stepdaughter had led him on by taking off her clothes and climbing into bed on top of him.
The victim testified on camera after the clinical psychologist who assessed her recommended that
she not be present at the trial.
The fearful little girl told the court that on the first incident her stepfather summoned her to his bed and forced her to take her clothes off.
She said that she followed his instructions because he often behaves violently when under the influence of alcohol and she was not willing to take the risk of aggravating him.
In October last year the victim visited a clinic where she was found to be 15 weeks pregnant. It was at this point that she told the nurse that her step-father had been raping her.
DNA tests proved that the child belonged to the accused. She was then taken to Port Elizabeth where the pregnancy was terminated.
The accused, who is being defended by Helen McCullum, admits that he is guilty of having sexual relations with his stepdaughter but insists that she was the one who initiated intercourse.
He said that he knew it was wrong while he was doing it but that he had succumbed to the temptation she had laid out in front of him.
He also claims that he had spoken to her afterwards telling her that the incident was a mistake and that it should not happen again. He said that this had only happened on one occasion. The man was sentenced to 12 years in jail.
