A Napier man who killed and sexually violated his 5-year-old step-daughter has today been sentenced to 16 and a-half years in prison.
Kerry Charles Ratana, 25, pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter but had always claimed he was innocent of sexually violating Sahara Baker-Koro in Napier on December 20, 2010.
Following a jury trial last month he was found guilty of sexual violation.
At the High Court in Napier today, Justice Denis Clifford, who described the sentencing as "difficult'', imposed a minimum non-parole period of 8 years and 3 months.
On being led away, Ratana smashed a reporter's laptop from the media desk and had to be restrained by prison guards.
