Sentencing — rape — unlawful sexual connection — assault on child — male assaults female — Zhang v R [2019] NZCA 507. The defendant appeared for sentence on a range of sexual and violent offences. The offending had been committed against four victims over a 25-year period, and included rape, sexual assault, and forced sexual activity. The defendant had family connections to all of the victims. The defendant sometimes used physical violence against the victims and also threatened to hurt them if they told anyone. The defendant had accepted a sentencing indication that showed a start point of 18 years, reduced to 14 years for guilty plea. The Court had received cultural and psychiatric reports on the defendant; however the report writers were unable to draw a connection between the offending and the defendant's mental health problems and disadvantaged upbringing. Nevertheless the Court made an additional 12 per cent discount to recognise the defendant's background factors. The final sentence was 12 years three months' imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of six years. The Court also gave the defendant final name suppression, in order to protect the victims. Judgment Date: 28 January 2022. * * * Note: names have been changed to comply with legal requirements. * * *