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Rapist 'can get drugs'
09/06/2004 15:12 - (SA)
Pretoria - Serial child rapist Joao de Canha could get medication in jail to keep his "extraordinary sex drive" under control, counsel for his defence told the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday.
Defence counsel argued there were mitigating circumstances in De Canha's favour, including that he could receive treatment for his sexual problems and did not have previous convictions for violent crimes.
He also came from an unstable background, was not very intelligent and had been diagnosed as suffering from an anti-social personality disorder.
The court was reminded that none of his young victims had been seriously injured and could overcome their trauma with proper counselling.
Counsel for the prosecution, however, quoted from reports by social workers indicating that De Canha's 10 victims - most of them young girls - had been severely traumatised by the kidnapping and rape.
De Canha, 36, a Portuguese citizen, was found guilty by Judge Hekkie Daniels earlier this week on 29 charges - 11 of kidnapping, 10 of rape, two of assault, two of attempted rape, a charge of indecent assault, one of robbery with aggravating circumstances and charges of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
In 2001 he kidnapped and raped 10 girls between the ages of nine and 17 after offering them a lift while they were on their way to school. Several other children were also kidnapped.
The State argued that De Canha's lack of remorse and total lack of concern for the injuries he had caused was aggravating, as was the fact that he had attacked the integrity of four of his victims by claiming they had consented to sex.
The fact that he knew he had a sexual problem and never sought help proved that he was a danger to society. He should be sentenced to 10 terms of life imprisonment, the state said.
The court heard that several of the girls had to change schools because fellow pupils had teased them. At least two of the girls had to leave school altogether - one because she had lost her only pair of shoes, had no money to replace them and could not walk 4km to school on bare feet.
Another girl failed her year and left school because she had lost her books and could not replace them. She is now a domestic worker.
Daniels will pass sentence on Thursday.
- SAPA
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