High Court delivers harsh sentence for father convicted of child pornography.
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A 56-YEAR-OLD man was sentenced to two life terms and an additional 3,713 years by the High Court in Gqeberha for the abuse and exploitation of his daughter.
The man was convicted of more than 700 charges of rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming, human trafficking, possession, production, and procurement of child pornography, as well as exposing minors and people with mental disabilities to pornography.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the acts were perpetrated over a period of many years, from 2015 to 2022, mostly at the man's residence in Jeffreys Bay.
"The primary complainant, his biological daughter, was first exposed to pornography at the age of ten. As the abuse escalated, she was subjected to repeated sexual exploitation by the accused and adolescent half-brother," Tyali said.
"The accused not only participated in the abuse but also recorded the acts and directed them. He later distributed the content through digital platforms to unidentified third parties."
Investigations found a large amount of digital evidence, including hundreds of photographs and films kept on many devices.
These contained a mobile, laptop, hard drives, and USB devices carrying graphic content featuring both known and unknown children, some as young as infants. Children were shown naked or semi-naked doing sexual actions, frequently under force.
The exploitation did not just affect the lead plaintiff; other youngsters in the family were also groomed and mistreated.
In certain cases, the accused directed his little son to sell photographs and recordings of the abuse to external clients.
His arrest on September 1, 2022, at Jeffreys Bay was sparked by a tip from one of the child victims, his biological daughter, who revealed the abuse to a relative.
A larger pattern of systemic exploitation and criminal behaviour inside the family was quickly revealed.
"The accused was found to have used his authority and position of trust to manipulate and abuse the minors in his care," Tyali said.
"He pleaded not guilty. However, he made certain admissions in terms of Section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The Senior State Advocate, Ismat Cerfontein, argued that the crimes committed were among the most severe and sustained forms of abuse the court had encountered."
The advocate argued that the lack of remorse and opportunistic involvement of other kids justified the imposition of life sentences.
The court agreed and sentenced the accused to life in prison for rape and sexual exploitation, as well as extra severe sentences for possessing, creating, importing, and distributing child pornography. The court also ordered that the terms run simultaneously with the life sentence, that his name be added to the sexual offender registry, and that he be judged unsuitable to carry a firearm.
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