WAILUKU — A mentally disabled 35-year-old Wailuku man who sexually assaulted a girl over a six-year period was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday.

David Kama Jr. was credited for the 445 days he has already served in jail.

Kama pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of second-degree sexual assault and to five counts of third-degree sexual assault for the attacks that occurred from June 2008 to October 2014.

Kama assaulted a minor female relative beginning when she was around 6 years old, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Martin said in court.

In handing down the sentence, 2nd Circuit Judge Peter Cahill said that even though Kama’s mentality may be the same as the minor victim, he is an adult in the case.

“It is a just and appropriate sentence,” Cahill said.

But he expressed concern about what would happen after Kama completes his prison term and treatment, noting that he would probably return home and that the incidents took place in a family residence.

Cahill noted that although Kama has a hard time expressing himself verbally, he expressed his feelings in a letter, which Cahill called “well-written.”

Kama had difficulty speaking while addressing the court. In at least one instance, Public Defender Wendy Hudson translated, saying that he was apologizing.

Hudson said the sexual assaults have torn apart the family.

She said that Kama takes responsibility for his actions and he is “most sorry.”

But Martin said that the assaults could have been prevented because relatives knew Kama was capable of the assaults.

Martin took issue with some of Kama’s supporters who asked for leniency because of his developmental disabilities. Martin also took issue with a letter written on Kama’s behalf saying that Kama is “the one who got caught” doing what “most young men have experienced.”

Martin said that specialists who examined Kama determined that he knew what he was doing to the girl.

Kama told one examiner that he did what he did because “she was cute.”

“He knew exactly what he was doing,” Martin said.

Examiners diagnosed Kama as a pedophile but limited to incest.