A court in Kharkiv has sentenced a 50-year-old man to 15 years in prison for the systematic sexual abuse of his wife’s three daughters. The prosecutor’s office, which had sought a life sentence, considers the punishment too lenient and is preparing an appeal.
According to the investigation, the abuse began in the summer of 2023, when the man started raping his eldest stepdaughter, who was 16 at the time. In June 2025, an 11-year-old child became a victim, followed later by the youngest girl, aged 10. The perpetrator chose moments when the children’s mother was asleep or not at home. The girls remained silent for a long time due to fear of their stepfather.
The court found the man guilty under multiple articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and sentenced him to 15 years of imprisonment. The head of the regional prosecutor’s office, Yurii Papusha, described the sentence as “disproportionate” to the crime. The prosecution is preparing to appeal the verdict.
