GRAPHIC CONTENT
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A Canberra man who raped a woman so violently she lost almost half of her total blood volume has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Robert Glen Sirl, 48, was found guilty of rape and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm in the ACT Supreme Court earlier this year.
He was also sentenced on Thursday for maintaining a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, who he supplied with methamphetamine in return for sex.
Sirl received a sentence of eight years and six months for the rape and grievous bodily harm and five years for the sexual intercourse with a child. He will serve parts of the sentences concurrently.
A jury found Sirl guilty of raping the woman when she went to his home to purchase drugs from him.
They drank coffee mixed with methamphetamine together before Sirl claimed a large amount of money was missing from his home and would not let the woman leave until it was found.
While they were searching his bedroom, Sirl held the woman down on the bed and raped her twice. In one instance he used a sharp, bladed object which caused five lacerations inside the woman's vagina.
She lost more than 1.5 litres of blood and required emergency, life-saving surgery otherwise the wounds would not have stopped bleeding.
They had previously had a casual sexual relationship and Sirl pleaded not guilty, maintaining the sex was consensual.
However, in sentencing Justice John Burns said Sirl knew the woman was not consenting.
He described it as an opportunistic attack which lacked much premeditation or planning.
Justice Burns said it demonstrated a degree of humiliation and degradation for the victim due to the position Sirl held her down in and by using the implement.
"I am satisfied the motive, in part, involved enjoyment of the conduct and having power over the victim," Justice Burns said.
He added that Sirl had not shown remorse for the offences.
The court heard Sirl had a long criminal history and an extended issue with drug addiction, but had also demonstrated an ability to abstain from alcohol for extended periods and had some lengthy periods of being a law abiding citizen.
"It is difficult to be optimistic about your prospects for rehabilitation," Justice Burns said.
Sirl was sentenced by Justice David Mossop for maintaining a sexual relationship with the 15-year-old girl.
The court heard police had attended a Gilmore house looking for Sirl and found him with the girl, who was naked from the waist down.
Sirl told police he was "just getting busy with a lady".
The girl was in foster care and had agreed to have sex with Sirl in return for methamphetamine.
Sirl pleaded not guilty to the charge and claimed the girl told him she was 18 years old, but Justice Mossop said there was evidence he knew she was underage.
"[This was] gross sexual exploitation of a vulnerable child by a much older man," Justice Mossop said.
Sirl must serve at least seven years and eight months of his 11-year sentence and will first be eligible for release in June 2026.