damn aussies
Man sentenced to 18 years for raping 8-month-old baby
Wed Jul 31, 3:31 AM ET
PERTH, Australia - A man who raped an 8-month-old baby girl was sentenced Wednesday to 18 years in jail, in a case described by the judge as "horrific and tragic."
Charles Malcolm Punch, 26, pleaded guilty to sexually penetrating the baby in a park in Perth, capital of Western Australia state, on Feb. 15 last year. The attack ruptured the infant's stomach and nearly killed her.
West Australian District Court Chief Judge Kevin Hammond said the baby received terrible injuries in the savage attack.
"This can fairly be described as horrific and tragic," Hammond said. "The child, who was aged 8 months old, had catastrophic injuries."
Surgeons operated on the baby to save her life after the attack. She is now in foster care.
Hammond sentenced Punch to 18 years for the rape and eight years for causing the baby grievous bodily harm. The sentences will be served concurrently.
Punch, a homeless drifter, was described in court as suffering from severe cognitive disorder that arose from brain damage and was aggravated by long-term substance abuse and a fall five years ago.
Prosecutors said Punch was with a group of people drinking in a Perth park when the baby's mother left the child in a baby carriage with the group and went off for all-night drinking session.
Punch's girlfriend called police after he went off with the baby and officers later found him next to the bloodied infant on a deserted block of land in northern Perth.
The maximum penalty for the charge of sexually penetrating a child under the age of 13 is 20 years but Hammond gave Punch credit for pleading guilty.
Punch would be eligible for parole in about 10 years but Hammond ordered that he would have to be placed under supervision after his release.
