[ Text of section effective until October 22, 2008. For text effective October 22, 2008, see below.]
Section 22A. Whoever has sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse with a child under sixteen, and compels said child to submit by force and against his will or compels said child to submit by threat of bodily injury, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life or for any term of years; and whoever over the age of eighteen commits a second or subsequent such offense shall be sentenced to the state prison for life or for any term of years, but not less than five years; provided, however, that a prosecution commenced under the provisions of this section shall not be placed on file or continued without a finding.
Whoever commits any offense described in this section while armed with a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon shall be sentenced to the state prison for life or for any term of years, but not less than ten years. Whoever over the age of 18 commits a second or subsequent such offense shall be sentenced to the state prison for life or for any term of years, but not less than 20 years.
Chapter 265: Section 22A. Rape of child; punishment
[ Text of section as amended by 2008, 205, Sec. 2 effective October 22, 2008. For text effective until October 22, 2008, see above.]
Section 22A. Whoever has sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse with a child under 16, and compels such child to submit by force and against his will or compels such child to submit by threat of bodily injury, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life or for any term of years. A prosecution commenced under this section shall neither be continued without a finding nor placed on file.