Judge Zul Zakiqudin Zulkifli meted out the sentence after the 45-year-old labourer made the plea at the Kuala Terengganu sessions court, Berita Harian reported.

On the first count, the victim’s father was charged with raping her when she was 12 at a house in Dungun in 2022. He was also charged with committing the offence at the same location in 2023 and 2024.

Zul sentenced the man to 10 years in jail and 10 strokes of the rotan for each charge, with his prison terms to be served separately starting from the date of his arrest.

However, he will only be whipped 24 times – the maximum permitted under the Criminal Procedure Code.

Deputy public prosecutor Intan Nor Hilwani Mat Rifin prosecuted while the accused was not represented.

Police arrested the man last week after the victim complained of pain in her abdomen and was taken to a government clinic, where doctors discovered that she was pregnant.