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A teen accused of the Turangi holiday park attack is led to court by police - Source: ONE News -
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The teenager who raped a five-year-old girl at a Turangi holiday park accepts the public is disgusted over his actions.
Raurangi Marino, 16, was sentenced to 10 years in jail today for the attack at Club Habitat Holiday Park on December 21.
The court heard Marino had been taking cannabis and had consumed between 20-30 bottles of beer at a party before the incident.
"He recalls it being dark, and being angry," his lawyer Katherine Ewen told the court.
"He remembers grabbing the victim. He cannot give any answer as to why he raped her. He wished he was dead after that. He realised the whole world would be wishing that too."
The public reaction to the crime, and Marino's sentence, has been fierce, with many on the ONE News Facebook page shocked by the details and claiming the sentence is too light.
Ewen said outside court that Marino was aware of the response and said his reaction had been "acceptance".
Marino said he does not remember much about the assault but Judge Phil Cooper outlined the horrific nature of the attack.
"The victim awoke and tried to run out, she screamed, but you grabbed her, you covered her mouth with your hands and locked the door of the caravan behind you," he said.
"You then choked her and caused her to pass out. You punched her and elbowed her in the head a number of times telling her to be quiet."
By the time an ambulance arrived the girl's injuries were considered life-threatening.
"Her eyes were bruised and swollen shut, she had bruising and cuts to her lips and internal injuries," Cooper said.
She suffered multiple injuries and underwent four hours of surgery at Waikato Hospital before she was discharged on Boxing Day.
The girl and her family were visiting New Zealand from Europe when the attack happened.
Parents' nightmare
Cooper described her parents as victims in this case too, and that they had also been displaying signs of post-traumatic stress.
"They have been through what would be most parents' worst nightmares," he said.
They watched the proceedings in court via video link.
"We are relieved a part of this nightmare is finished; even if it is still just a part," they said in a statement.
"We would like to thank the court, the police and the people of New Zealand. It has been a very emotional evening for us."
The five-year-old still has bad dreams, moments of mental absence, tiredness, has a temper and at times feels overwhelmed, the court heard.
The girl's three-year-old brother was also asleep in the caravan. Their mother left the two children asleep at around 10pm to go the amenity block, just metres away, where her husband was using his computer.
When the mother returned a short time later she found the caravan door locked and saw a man inside with her daughter.
She ran screaming for help and returned to find the caravan door open and the man gone. Marino was arrested a week later.
The girl's brother was not harmed and slept through the attack.
Troubled background
The court heard how Marino had come from a troubled and abusive background, but Cooper said this was not a defence for his crime.
"I want to make it clear you are responsible for your own actions. But your whanau and extended whanau are responsible for bringing up such a young man who could commit such an appalling and sickening crime."
Marino was sentenced in Rotorua District Court, rather than Youth Court where he pleaded guilty to the three charges, after a judge ruled that the December 21 attack was too serious.
Marino faced up to 21 years in prison.
There was tight security in the court when the teenager appeared for sentencing. When he made his first appearance in Youth Court a large crowd gathered outside the courthouse venting their anger.
The girl's family said earlier that they bore no grudge to New
Zealand and had been overwhelmed by Kiwis' support. They announced
they had donated $20,000 to four organisations.
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