Child rapist receives increased sentence under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme

A man has received an increased sentence for child rape and child sexual assault after the Solicitor General Alex Chalk QC MP referred his case to the Court of Appeal.

Semi Lave, 32, was found to have sexually abused and raped two children between 2015 and 2020 on no fewer than 30 occasions. Both the children were threatened with violence if they told their mother about the abuse and both reported being physically held by the jaw by the offender. One of the victims also stated that Lave had slapped her round the face when she refused his sexual advances.

On 3 February 2022 the offender was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment at Salisbury Crown Court for 10 counts of rape of a child and 1 count of sexual assault against a child. A sexual harm prevention order was also made against the offender for an indefinite period.

Following the sentencing, the Solicitor General referred Lave’s sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

On 29 April the Court found the original sentence to be unduly lenient. The sentence was substituted for a special custodial sentence of 30 years, comprising a custodial term of 24 years and an extended licence period of 6 years.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General Alex Chalk QC MP said:

These were horrific crimes that will impact the victims for the rest of their lives.

I believed that the severity of the crimes of child rape and sexual assault, coupled with the fact the offences happened over such an extensive period, meant that a longer sentence should have been imposed.

I am pleased with the decision of the Court to increase the punishment for these appalling crimes and believe that today’s ruling shows that sexual offences against a child will be met with robust punishment.