A man who argued he was being "altruistic" when he took an 11-year-old girl homeless girl back to his place will spend more than five years behind bars for raping her.
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Salmanul Abdullah was 31 years old and at a bus stop at Footscray in Melbourne's west when he met the girl, who told him she ran away from home in July 2022.
He asked her to come back to his place before coercing her into having a shower with him, giving her wine and raping her.
She soon ran out of his boarding house, telling nearby paramedics "help, help, I just got raped", County Court of Victoria Judge Sandra Davis said on Friday.
Abdullah - now 33 - was arrested within minutes, and later denied raping the girl.
He told police she said she was homeless, aged 16, and that he had invited her to stay the night because he was too drunk and high to drive.
His lawyer later argued the victim "entrapped" him and said he took her to his accommodation out of altruism.
The lawyer also argued Abdullah did not cause the girl great harm when he raped her because she was already subjected to sexual abuse in her childhood.
Judge Davis found the Malaysian-born man had guarded prospects of rehabilitation, and rejected his assertion his moral culpability should be reduced because of his intoxication.
Abdullah also dealt with depressive symptoms and periods of homelessness, the court was told.
"You took advantage of the victim's young age and homelessness by offering her accommodation and taking her back to your home," Judge Davis said on Friday.
"It was clear that your motivation was not altruistic as your counsel submitted and that your intention was to engage in sexual activity with her."
The young girl said in a statement to the court she saw her body as disgusting since Abdullah raped her and did not feel safe around men.
"I was 11 and just wanted to live my life. Now his face will be forever in my head until the day I die," she said.
Judge Davis sentenced Abdullah to eight years and 11 months in prison after he earlier pleaded guilty to child rape, sexual assault and encouraging a child to engage in a sexual activity.
He will be eligible for parole after five years and four months, and faces being deported to Malaysia upon his release.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Australian Associated Press
