Arjun Kandel faces fury of intellectually disabled victim’s foster mother in court

A disability carer can no longer deny the effect his vile crime has had on his vulnerable victim, a court has heard.

A disability care worker who raped a woman in his care, “shattering her sense of safety”, is a “shameless, misogynistic monster” who should be jailed for his crimes, a court has heard.

Arjun Kandel, 45, sat silently in the dock of the South Australian District Court on Monday as the foster mother of his victim told the court her disabled daughter’s life would never be the same.

“Arjun, you are shameless misogynistic monster,” the foster mother said in her victim impact statement.

“You are a dangerous predator for sexual lust. You parade as a qualified carer abusing the most vulnerable persons behind closed doors.

“As a mother, I endorsed (my daughter) to practice her personal private space, closing doors with toileting and bath time as a mother.

“I endorsed (my daughter) to understand that her bedroom was her private castle where she could rest and feel safe.

“You had opportunity to lock her door to block intrusion.

“Arjun Kandel, you raped her body over two hours and her soul forever.

Arjun Kandel was found guilty of raping a woman in his care. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

“You shattered her trust in engaging with carers. You invaded her castle and raped her on the bed.

“You shattered her world to feel safe in her bedroom, her toilet and her bathroom. You crushed her self worth and obliterated her of any dignity.”

In May this year, Judge Liesl Kudelka found him guilty of one count of rape and one count of aggravated indecent assault against the then-35-year-old woman.

He was found not guilty of another count of aggravated indecent assault against another woman living at the residential care facility.

Judge Kudelka said she was “satisfied beyond reasonable doubt” the victim did not consent to the sexual intercourse.

Andrew Culshaw, for Kandel, told the court his client had accepted the guilty verdict after living in “a state of denial”.

Kandel will be sentenced next week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

“Mr Kandel accepts the verdict,” he said.

“He is ashamed of himself. He lived in a state of denial for a number of years, but he is alive to the impacts of his offending on everyone involved.”

Judge Kudelka said Kandel’s acknowledgment was a substantial moment for the victim’s family, who wept as Mr Culshaw said he now accepts fault.

Mr Culshaw said his client, originally from Nepal, was a husband and father and had worked constantly since moving to Australia in 2009.

He said Kandel could not be considered to have a pattern of sexual behaviour.

Judge Kudelka acknowledged the length of the case, and said she wanted to sentence Kandel as soon as possible.

“I will sentence him tomorrow,” she said.

Outside court, the victim’s foster mother told the media “justice has been seen”.

“A voice for my daughter has been listened to and justice has been served.”