A suspect was arrested on Saturday over the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl and the attempted murder of her father in Kampong Chhnang province, police said yesterday.

Sam Chanthorn, Chung Kreav commune police chief, said that on Friday night Thel Kosal, 20, entered the home of Khuth Phum, 46, and allegedly raped Phum’s daughter.

He then threatened the girl with a scythe and hid by the house when her father returned to listen to their ensuing conversation.

The girl told her father, who said he would report the matter to the police. Upon hearing this, Kosal burst into the home and tried to hack Phum to death, Chanthorn said:

“The suspect admitted to the crime, that he tried to kill the victim’s father to stop him filing a complaint to police,” he added Kosal was charged with rape of a minor and attempted murder.

Recorded rapes increased dramatically this year, according to figures collected by rights group Adhoc. In the first six months of the year, 131 rapes were reported, compared with 51 in the same period in 2014.