How on earth can this prison sentence be so lenient?

[ThisIsStartingToBoreMe]

How on earth has this man only been sentenced to 10 years for this dreadful rape?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-59523681

I remember reading about it at the time, thinking nothing could shock me after this.

[Thelnebriati]

''Sutherland pleaded guilty to abuse of a vulnerable adult''
Did they charge him with rape? It sounds like he had a plea deal.

[ThisIsStartingToBoreMe]

No they didn't charge him with rape - I don't understand why the prosecution would even accept a plea deal - the DNA clearly states him as the father and the mother is unable to give consent - surely thats an open and shut case for rape?

Wonder how long he'd been doing that for .

[Thelnebriati]

I had a quick google for the law in Arizona and the penalty for rape is from 7 years to a life sentence. I can't see any obvious reason why he wasn't charged with rape. I'm really shocked by that and the apparently lenient sentence, this case was so bad it made international news.

[TheMarzipanDildo]

I wonder if that was the only rape he committed

People like him are incredibly dangerous.

[RonaldMcDonald]

In NI we get fewer than 20 rape convictions per year. This is being kind to the numbers - year, on year, on year.
It is my strong sense that you need to be really really really trying hard to actually be convicted of rape

I do not believe it is viewed as a crime as it should
I would never suggest a family member get involved in a police and court process knowing how many are discarded by police, then the PPS prior to even deciding to plead them down for guaranteed something

This is a shocking case but each rape is shocking and no one cares