Child rapist Shahn Lefoe convinces judges to reduce his jail time

A victim-blaming sex predator jailed for raping a 12-year-old girl has convinced two judges to slash his sentence, despite being deemed a “moderate risk” of reoffending.

New Zealand national Shahn Lefoe, 31, was jailed for eight years after a jury found him guilty of raping a 12-year-old girl in a Point Cook park in August 2019.

A victim-blaming child rapist deemed a “moderate risk” of sexual reoffending will be freed from prison earlier after convincing two judges his liberty was unjustly deprived from him in pre-sentence immigration detention.

Tradesman father Shahn Lefoe, 32, lured a 12-year-old into a dark Point Cook park and raped her in August 2019, later spinning a web of lies to police that the girl was “sexually aggressive” toward him and he was helpless to her advances.

“She was eager. I just couldn’t say no,” Lefoe claimed to police.

His sick fictitious story unravelled after authorities listened to a 21-minute secret recording of the rape taken by his brave victim.

County Court Judge Fran Dalziel blasted Lefoe for his “concerning” lack of insight, including labelling his young victim a “homewrecker”, when sentencing him to eight years jail last March.

“Sexual offending against children is deplorable,” Judge Dalziel said.

“You say that she tried to take your pants off and whilst you did not want to go along with the sexual activity, you felt helpless and just had to.”

“Your explanation effectively reverses the role of instigator and victim.”

The New Zealand national had 18 months slashed from his sentence this week after convincing two Court of Appeal judges that his prison term was “manifestly excessive” as it did not properly regard the 992 days he spent in immigration detention prior to prison.

Lefoe also argued his sentence needed to reflect that his four acts of sexual penetration occurred in “quick succession in a short space of time”.

“While the exercise is not a mathematical one, when substantial account is taken of the time spent in immigration detention, these considerations combine in our opinion to show that the total effective sentence imposed was manifestly excessive,” the judges ruled.

“It is also significant that the offences in this case took place in quick succession on a single occasion. This was not offending that leant itself to substantial periods of cumulation.”

Lefoe was resentenced to a maximum of six years and six months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of four years, after which he faces deportation.

The maximum penalty for sexual penetration of a child under 16 is 15 years’ imprisonment.

Lefoe was married with two children when he raped the young girl and abandoned her in the dark reserve.

She later texted her aunt: “I got raped. Help me.”

Lefoe never took responsibility for the rape, claiming the encounter was consensual and that he believed the girl was aged 21.

A forensic psychologist deemed him a moderate risk of sexual reoffending.