- Man jailed for having sex with a 10 year old child
A High Court judge has sentenced a 24-year-old man to eight years in jail after he was found guilty of having sex with a 10 year-old child five years ago
Justice Rickie Burnett imposed the sentence on Stefan Glasgow, after the jury found him guilty on December 4, last year of the charge that between December 31, 2018, and December 18, 2019, he had unlawful sexual intercourse with the child who was under the age of 13.
The sentencing took place after the preparation of pre-sentencing reports.
The judge said that in the victim impact statement, the complainant spoke about the physical pain she felt during the experience.
“She was crying without water. That came out in the evidence,” Justice Burnett said.
The report quoted the victim as saying she has nightmares all the time and has lost weight because of a change in her eating habits.
The victim’s mother said in the statement that she lost her child and is trying to find her.
The girl has put up a mental block and the mother cannot get through it, the statement said.
The mother said she misses her daughter’s bubbly personality and remembers her happy times. The victim has no interest in socialising with friends.
Justice Burnett said there could be little doubt that children and young people who have been sexually assaulted can suffer a range of psychological and behavioural problems.
He said they can range from mild to severe and can present challenges in the short and long term.
“The effects of unlawful sexual intercourse on a child, in the case at bar, a 10-year-old child, tend to vary depending on the circumstances of the sexual encounter and the child’s developmental stage.”
Justice Burnett said the violation of a child at such a tender age can have long-term effects on the child and her understanding of the world, the people who live in the world and her belonging as a member of society.
Meanwhile, the social inquiry report said Glasgow has 17 siblings and spent most of his formative years living with his paternal aunt from when he was three months old.
The court heard that Glasgow, who did not complete secondary school, used marijuana to treat a medical condition.
He also suffers from depression characterised by inability to concentrate, memory problems, racing thoughts, and suicidal thoughts
Glasgow’s father was absent from his son’s life in his formative years as the father travelled extensively. Glasgow told the social worker that he is in prison innocently as he did not commit the act.
The social worker said Glasgow appeared to be heavily dependent on marijuana, which he uses at least 10 times a day.
Glasgow had faced a minimum of life imprisonment.
