A man has been sentenced to six year’s jail in the Supreme Court for an attempted rape the judge described as “vicious.”
Hemaloto Makafilia, 23, pleaded guilty before Mr Justice Cato to one count of attempted rape, serious housebreaking, common assault, and theft.
During the crime, Makafilia knocked his victim unconscious by hitting her on the head with a steel pole.
He was only stopped when his girlfriend discovered him and made him stop.
The incident took place on May 26 last year in a school where the woman was working as a volunteer teacher.
“I have no doubt that but for the timely intervention of the prisoner’s girlfriend, the complainant would have suffered the complete humiliation of rape,” the judge said.
Mr Justice Cato said the victim had suffered physically and psychologically. She had lost half her hearing in one ear, her balance was affected and she was in pain because she had lost a number of teeth.
She suffers from vertigo and dizziness, tires easily, has short term memory loss and suffers from flashback and nightmares.
She is afraid to go anywhere alone and constantly looks over her shoulder.
The accused had three previous convictions for theft, two for housebreaking , unlawful possession of drugs, and escaping from lawful custody.
“Makafilia represents a grave danger to society and is a person from whom Society requires the protection of a lengthy sentence of imprisonment,” Mr Justice Cato said.
“In my view, the sentence must be one which reflects the wanton callousness of the attack and serves to protect women in Tonga, volunteers as well as Tongan women, from this kind of predatory conduct, and serves also as a firm deterrent.”
The main points
- A man has been sentenced to six year’s jail in the Supreme Court for an attempted rape the judge described as “vicious.”
- Hemaloto Makafilia, 23, pleaded guilty before Mr Justice Cato to one count of attempted rape, serious housebreaking, common assault, and theft.
- During the crime, Makafilia knocked his victim unconscious by hitting her on the head with a steel pole.
- Makafilia represented a grave danger to society, the judge said.
