An Australian missionary has been jailed for three years on child sexual abuse charges in the Solomon Islands.

Key points: Kevin Rietveld entered a plea deal over the child sexual abuse charges

Kevin Rietveld entered a plea deal over the child sexual abuse charges He originally pleaded not guilty and breached his bail by contacting a witness

He originally pleaded not guilty and breached his bail by contacting a witness Victim advocates said the sentence was a "slap in the face"

Kevin Rietveld, 72, was arrested on June 24 and charged with nine counts of indecent assault involving five girls under the age of 15.

Rietveld later entered a plea bargain with prosecutors on charges relating to four of the victims, with two of the indecent assault charges being withdrawn.

Magistrate Felix Hollinson sentenced Rietveld on Tuesday, saying that the Solomon Islands was not a "safe haven for sexual predators [and] paedophiles" and that such people would "face the music should they be caught".

The abuse took place between 2010 and 2012 when Rietveld was the head of the Supporting Work in Ministry — which is part of the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia — on the outskirts of Honiara, the capital of the South Pacific nation.

The victims were sponsored by the mission.

Rietveld returned to Honiara this year to answer the charges following a lengthy investigation by local police and Australian authorities.

He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on bail.

But last month, according to court documents, he breached his bail condition by contacting one of the witnesses and was returned to custody.

Rietveld was initially sentenced to four years and two months but the magistrate reduced this to a three-year sentence, taking into account time already spent in custody, as well as his public service, age and health.

Ella Kauhue, president of the National Council of Women, said the sentence was too lenient and a "slap in the face".

"Such a decision has discouraged a lot of people, especially women," Ms Kahue said.