KINGSTON, Jamaica, Jul 18, CMC – A High Court judge has sentenced a 72-yer old farmer to 15 years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to five counts of rape and two counts of sexual touching of a child including his step-grandchild.
Justice Bertram Morrison, sitting in the Home Circuit Court, sentenced the man to 10 years for rape and five years for sexual touching. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The court heard that he committed sexual crimes against three underage girls who were left in his care. In February 2022, one of the complainants visited another parish to see a relative and related her ordeal. A report was made to the police and the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse launched a probe into the matter.
According to details, the man, between 2018 and 2019, “on different occasions” raped his 11-year-old step-grandchild while she was at his house. In one instance he reportedly instructed the other children in the house to remain in one room while he took her to the living room, carried out the act, and cautioned her against telling anyone afterwards.
The child, who was diagnosed as “a slow learner”, reportedly said she hesitated to tell anyone about the assaults because she was “embarrassed” and afraid she would be punished.
The man had alsoon two occasions between 2020 and 2021, fondled his six-year-old step-grandchild and also raped her twice on her grandmother’s bed while she was away at work.
The social enquiry report (SER) of the probation aftercare officer presented to the judge ahead of the sentencing, stated that the man “initially denied committing the offences, lifting his hands in the air and professing an oath in the process” but “eventually recanted by indicating that he is accepting responsibility for committing the offences”.
As to whether he recognised the impact and consequences of his crimes on the victims and his community, the probation officer said the man claimed he was unsure how they were affected.
The father of seven children said that he had a pleasant relationship with his wife, who has no children for him. However, the probation aftercare officer said “investigations suggested otherwise”.
CMC/fh/ir/2025