"At last! Justice has prevailed and my prayers have been answered." Those were a father's words after his 13-year-old daughter's rapist was sentenced in the High Court here on Monday after initially escaping prison.

Although his birthday in June is long over, the father, an odd-job worker who only wished to be known as Tan, still felt as though it was the best present he has ever received.

azlan High Court judge Zakaria Sam set aside the three-year good behaviour bond meted out by the Sessions Court on Chuah Guan Jiu, 22.

The accused, a technician, was sentenced instead to five-and-a-half years in jail for raping the girl, then aged 12 years and 10 months, at his flat in Air Itam between 7am and 1pm on July 18 last year, and between 2.25pm and 2.45pm the next day.

The Sessions Court had initially bound Chuah over for three years on a RM25,000 good behaviour bond in August.

Contacted by The Malay Mail in Georgetown yesterday, Tan said he read newspaper reports about the decision but wished he had turned up in court to witness the proceedings.

"I recall being told that that there would be another court hearing on the appeal but I guess it slipped my mind to turn up in court as I wasn't expecting anything to come out of it anyway," he said.

He admitted that he and his family were thoroughly devastated at first after learning that Chuah had been freed by the Sessions Court in August.

They now feel a sense of relief that Chuah is now behind bars.

"To me, the sentence is still light considering the severity of his offense but at least it is better than nothing," he said.

"I think this will serve as a deterrent to others.

Asked if he had told his daughter the latest development, Tan said he had but said she would rather just move on in with her life right now.

- The Malay Mail