Teen rapist gets four years in juvenile detention for raping 11-year-old

A Hazyview youth has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment in a juvenile care centre for raping an 11-year-old girl.

"If you were older than 17, the court [would have] no option but to give you life imprisonment" Nelspruit Regional Court magistrate Andre Geldenhuys told him, according to a Sapa correspondent.

"You will remain at that centre until January 29, 2017, when you turn 21-years-old," Geldenhuys told him, adding that he was a risk to society.

"According to a report from social workers, you are unfit to [be around] children," he said.

The youth was under the supervision of his parents and attended school before his conviction. He would now be held in the juvenile section of the Barberton Correctional Services until his transfer to the care centre.

Geldenhuys said it appeared the youth had behavioural problems. He was not making good progress at school, and was distracting other pupils with attention-seeking behaviour.

He alluded to accusations that the youth had stolen money from his disabled uncle, who was unable to stop him.

Geldenhuys said the court had heard that the youth smoked dagga and drank alcohol while living with his 11-month-old daughter and her mother, who was pregnant with his second child.

"When drinking alcohol, you got in bed after 3am, not thinking of the small child also in bed."

The youth's mother was unable to help raise her grandchild, as she lived and worked in White River.

"Your elder brother, who is a Christian, was also not home, but lived in Johannesburg, leaving you in charge of your family.

"Instead of showing responsibility, you disrespected adults, did as you wished and stole other people's belongings," Geldenhuys told him.

Although the teenager's background indicated that he had not received proper parental care, he had also made "the wrong decisions and met up with the wrong people".

This was evident as the rapist was doing his Grade Eight at the age of 17, while his elder brother had managed to complete his schooling.

Geldenhuys said his victim was doing well at school, despite suffering severely from her ordeal.

During sentencing, he said the rapist deserved a second chance in life, but ruled that his name would be added to the sexual offenders' register.