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\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 IN THE HIGH COURT OF FIJI
\par }{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid14437494\charrsid14437494 AT LABASA}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
\par }{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid14437494\charrsid14437494 APPELLATE JURISDICTION}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid14437494 {\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 0040 OF 2001
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid14437494 {\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 PAULA NAKAVIKA
\par }{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 Appellant
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\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid14775907  STATE}{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid14775907\charrsid14775907 
\par }{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 Respondent
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\par Mr. H. Robinson for the Appellant
\par Mr. J. Rabuku for the Director of Public Prosecutions
\par }{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid14437494 {\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 REASONS FOR DECISION
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\par At the end of the hearing of this appeal on }{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 25th March 2002}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
 the appeal was allowed and the appellant was ordered to be immediately released.}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid14437494  }{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
On that occasion I indicated that I would provide reasons in due course which I now do.
\par 
\par The appellant was convicted by the }{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 Labasa Magistrates Court }{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 after he pleased guilty to an offence of }{
\b\ul\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 Attempted Rape}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
 and admitted the facts outlined by the prosecutor which told of how the appellant had accosted the complainant when she was returning home from school and had pulled her to the roadside and had forcibly kissed her and restrai
ned her despite her protestations until the complainant managed to free herself by biting him on the left arm.
\par 
\par In mitigation the appellant indicated that he and his parents had traditionally reconciled with the complainant and her family after the event.
\par 
\par The trial magistrate in sentencing the appellant to }{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 18 months}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494  imprisonment said : 
\par 
\par }\pard \ql \li720\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid14437494 {\b\i\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 `Reconciliation will only mitigate on the sentence as the offence is not reconcilable.}{
\b\i\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid14437494  }{\b\i\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 Accused had committed this offence on a student and her experience is likely to be with her for life.\rquote 
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid14437494 {\b\i\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
\par }{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 The appellant through his counsel appealed against the sentence on several grounds including that it was }{\b\i\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
`harsh and excessive taking into account the circumstances\rquote }{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494  and the trial magistrate had }{\b\i\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
`failed to consider relevant mitigation factors.\rquote }{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494  
\par 
\par Counsel for the appellant in arguing the appeal highlighted the relative youth of the appellant (}{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 Date of Birth}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
 : 25.3.83) at the time of the incident and the fact that he was a first offender that had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
\par 
\par Counsel indicated that these mitigating factors were not taken into account by the trial magistrate.}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid14437494  }{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
Certainly they were not mentioned in the sentencing remarks and further the trial magistrate does not appear to have considered a non-immediately custodial alternative }{\ul\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 or}{
\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494  requested a welfare officer\rquote s report as he should have done.
\par 
\par Counsel also submitted that the facts outlined and admitted by the appellant did not support the charge and at most amounted to an indecent assault for which the appellant came off the worst.
\par 
\par }{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 State Counsel}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
 whilst seeking to support the sentence conceded that the facts did not support the charge of attempted rape in the absence of any unequivocal proximate overt act sufficient to sustain the charge such as the appellant being naked at the time }{
\ul\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 or}{\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494  evidence of a serious attempt to undress the complainant.
\par 
\par I was satisfied that this latter concession was well made and that the trial magistrate in imposing sentence had erred in not considering and properly accounting for the several mi
tigating facts urged by counsel for the appellant which were also well-taken.
\par 
\par For the foregoing reasons, the appeal was allowed and mindful that the appellant had almost served out his entire sentence, his immediate release was ordered.
\par 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid14437494 {\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13763499 D.V. Fatiaki}{\b\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 
\par }{\b\ul\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 JUDGE
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\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid14437494 {\lang2057\langfe1033\langnp2057\insrsid13839193\charrsid14437494 At Labasa,
\par 22nd April, 2002.
\par }}