TOKYO, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday handed down a 13-year prison term to the stepfather of a five-year-old girl who died as a result of his physical abuse and neglect in a closely-followed case that has both shocked and horrified the nation.

Yudai Funato, 34, was accused of causing his stepdaughter Yua's death from sepsis last March by starving and beating her and choosing not to seek medical care for the 5-year old girl despite her condition from the abuse rapidly deteriorating.

"Restricting food intake and violence were far removed from disciplining, and unreasonable acts which were conducted based on his own emotion," the Tokyo District Court said in its ruling.

The prosecution, seeking an 18-year sentence for Funato, described his actions as "malicious beyond comparison," adding in closing arguments that, "The defendant led the severe abuse. He made the girl suffer from starvation by limiting food. He bullied the victim to such an extent that she had nowhere to escape. The crime's maliciousness is severe beyond comparison."

Funato, who admitted to most of the charges, in his defense, tried to imply that his failure to control his emotions and unsuccessful disciplining had triggered the actions that led to the death of the young girl last year at their home in Tokyo's Meguro Ward.

After beginning to starve her from January last year, Funato also failed to take the young girl to hospital for treatment from the assaults and negligence a month later despite her rapidly failing heath, in a bid to conceal his abusive treatment of his stepdaughter, according to the indictment.

Yua died of sepsis after developing pneumonia in March last year as a result of the abuse. Enditem

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