A man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for raping his stepdaughter.

He was convicted of three counts of rape.

While delivering the sentence, High Court judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe emphasized that the primary purpose of the punishment was deterrence.

He states that the court has a responsibility to deter offenders and others from committing similar crimes while also protecting the community from such individuals.

Justice Rajasinghe explained that a lengthy custodial sentence was necessary to demonstrate the severity of the offence.

He says that rape committed under coercive circumstances deeply violates the victim’s bodily integrity and sexual autonomy which must be factored into the seriousness of the crime and its impact.

The judge referred to the victim impact report which revealed that the crime had caused significant emotional and psychological harm to the victim, shattering her self-confidence.

He concluded that the level of harm inflicted by the crime was exceptionally high.

The man will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years of his sentence.