Berlin: Man raped girlfriend's daughter – eleven years in prison

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Criminal court in Moabit: sex offenders in court

Photo: Christophe Gateau / picture alliance / dpa

The Berlin district court has sentenced a 47-year-old to eleven years in prison for brutally sexually abusing a girl.

The man was found guilty of particularly serious rape and particularly serious sexual abuse of children.

The psychological consequences for the girl are "devastating," said the presiding judge.

The student has been in trauma therapy for months.

Ambush sleeping child

As a family confidant, the 47-year-old knew that the then eleven-year-old would be home alone, it said.

Before the crime in August 2022, he borrowed a key in Berlin-Reinickendorf.

This gave him access to the family home.

Around eight o'clock in the morning he attacked the still sleeping child.

When the eleven-year-old woke up, he threatened her with a knife and raped her.

"The defendant took advantage of the family's trust as a longtime friend," said the presiding judge.

The perpetrator, who did not learn a trade after graduating from high school, was dissatisfied with his own life.

According to a psychiatric report, he was not a pedophile.

He was looking for contacts with people "who are clearly inferior to him, who he can control".

»Then what is said in the indictment happened«

The 47-year-old, who has no previous convictions as a sex offender, had confessed.

He has known the family for years and has often helped with problems, he said.

On the day of the crime, he actually wanted to pick up tools.

The front door was open.

"Then what is in the indictment happened."

He didn't know what the trigger was.

The prosecutor had asked for twelve years in prison.

The defender pleaded for eight years.

The verdict is not yet legally binding.

bbr/dpa