A Quebec judge on Tuesday reduced the sentence of a Montreal man who raped his infant daughter, saying the original ruling was too harsh.
The 32 year old was found guilty in March 2005 of sexual assault and using his daughter to possess, produce and distribute child pornography. The assaults started when his daughter was 24 months old and lasted for two years.
The man was originally sentenced to 15 years in prison.
But in its 2-1 decision earlier this week, the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled the assaults were not among the worst sexual assaults committed and the man shouldn't have received the maximum sentence.
The court reduced his sentence to nine years in prison.
"There was no violence, such as gagging, threatening or hitting the child," wrote Judge Lise Cote.
Cote cited the father of four's young age and lack of criminal record — other than the sexual assault of another child when he was 17 — in the ruling.
The prosecution's case was based on roughly 5,000 pictures and 5,000 videos found on the man's computer, some featuring very young children.