Newcastle Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 20-year-old man to two terms of life imprisonment following his conviction for the rape of his two minor nieces. The sentence was handed down on 5 February 2026.
The court found that the man raped his 10-year-old niece on three separate occasions in July 2023 at the family home in Springboklaagte, located in the Dannhauser policing precinct. On each occasion, he threatened to kill the child if she disclosed the abuse. Following the third incident, the victim informed elders in her community, leading to a report being filed with the police.
During the subsequent investigation by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, detectives established that the same man was also a suspect in a separate rape case involving his 12-year-old niece. On the evening of 3 March 2024, the man entered a room where the 12-year-old was present and raped her. Medical examination later confirmed the rape.
The court commended the investigative work of the FCS Unit and ordered that the convicted man’s name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.