Man gets 18-year sentence for sexual assault of 6-y-o, 8-y-o girls

A man sentenced to 18 years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting his two young female relatives, aged six and eight, in Manchester more than seven years ago, is to serve nearly the full term before becoming eligible for parole.

The man, whose name has been withheld to protect the identities of the children, was found guilty in March of three counts each of grievous sexual assault and sexual touching as well as four counts of sexual intercourse with a person under 16 following a two-week trial at the Manchester Home Circuit Court.

However, he was sentenced yesterday in the Home Circuit Court by Justice Grace Henry McKenzie.

He was ordered to serve five years and six months each for sexual touching, and 18 years and six months each on the other counts. The judge ordered that all sentences run concurrently.

She also ordered that he is to serve 18 years and four months in prison before being considered for parole.

Time already spent in custody was deducted, resulting in a six-month reduction.

In sentencing, McKenzie considered several mitigating factors, including the offender’s good community record, his lack of prior convictions, his age, and the fact that he had a young dependent.

However, aggravating factors included the prevalence and seriousness of the offences, the age of the complainants, the fact that the incidents occurred in the offender’s home, the multiple counts, the familial relationship between the parties, the breach of trust, and the repeated nature of the abuse.

Attorney-at-law Ashford Meikle, representing the defendant, had urged the court to consider a non-custodial sentence, citing his client’s clean record and positive character references.

Residents from two communities where the man had lived, in the social inquiry report, reportedly described him as a generally law-abiding and respectful individual.

SHOCKING ALLEGATIONS

Some of his relatives and community members expressed shock at the allegations and, in some cases, largely expressed support for him. Some suggested the dispute may have stemmed from underlying family issues and called for leniency and rehabilitation, stressing his previous good character and the need for a second chance.

The offender, in the report, however maintained his innocence, strongly denying any wrongdoing and swearing on his life and belief in God that he did not engage in any inappropriate acts with children.

According to the facts in the case, the assault occurred on different days between 2018 and 2019, at several locations, including the man’s home, the homes of the children, and an abandoned building in the parish.

Evidence presented during the trial indicated that some of the offences occurred after he picked up the children from school or when he was watching them on behalf of their parents.

The matter came to light in March 2019 after one of the victims, then eight years old, reportedly told her older sister that she had been molested and that it had happened on more than one occasion.

The sister then informed her mother, who contacted the other child’s parent.

The report prompted a police investigation which led to the perpetrator’s arrest on March 22, 2019.

During the trial, however, he denied the allegations.

He claimed he had been set up by the mothers of the children, whom he alleged wanted to gain control of a house he had been looking after, and that they instructed the children to fabricate the accusations.

The prosecution was led by Crown counsel Alice-Ann Gabbidon and Nyron Wright, who appeared on behalf of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com