North West man faces justice for sexual grooming of 14-year-old stepdaughter.
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A Free State man who was arrested for sexually grooming his stepdaughter has been jailed for an effective three years.
The 38-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport as he landed from the United States of America in 2023.
The man was found guilty of grooming his 14-year-old stepdaughter at their family home between 2021 and 2023.
This included making her watch pornographic material at their family home between 2021 and 2023.
According to the police, the victim's mother reported the abuse in 2023.
The man was sentenced in the Bethlehem Magistrate's Court recently.
Investigating officer Sergeant Frans Mofokeng said the victim was referred to a psychologist after a noticeable change in her behaviour.
"She later disclosed the abuse, leading to the opening of a criminal case while the suspect was abroad in the United States."
He was arrested on November 13, 2023, upon his arrival at OR Tambo International Airport.
During the trial, the man pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual grooming.
In the fourth-quarter crime statistics for the 2024/25 financial year, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu revealed that while crime levels have declined across most major categories, sexual offences including rape have shown an upward trend.
"We are seeing significant decreases in most crime categories when compared to the same period in the preceding financial year," Mchunu said. "During this quarter, sexual offences, including rape and contact sexual offences, along with commercial crime, have shown increases. These are deeply concerning trends that demand renewed focus and urgent intervention."
Cape Argus