By Latrishka Thomas
A man who admitted to having unlawful sexual intercourse with his 11-year-old daughter has been given 18 years’ jail time out of a possible life sentence.
The man raped his daughter about three times without using protection, the court heard.
In February 2018, the complainant and her brother were removed from the custody of their mother and placed with the defendant by welfare officials due to allegations – which were later renounced – that the mother beat them with a cutlass and other objects.
The complainant went to live with her father who was cohabiting with his girlfriend at the time.
One day when the defendant’s partner was not home, he entered the child’s room while she was sleeping on her stomach, pulled down her clothes and proceeded to have sex with her.
He then threatened to beat her if she told anyone, so she kept silent.
In August 2019, the accused raped his daughter again in the same manner.
The young girl screamed for help but the sexual predator covered her mouth until he had finished.
He again threatened to thrash her.
The incestuous activity continued that same night when the victim and her step-mother were sleeping in the same bed and the accused climbed in between them.
He began having sex with his partner while she pretended to be asleep.
He stopped and suddenly she felt the bed moving suggestively.
The next morning, the girlfriend asked the child if her father had sex with her the night prior and she confessed.
When the woman confronted her then 40-year-old partner, he said he did it because she, the girlfriend, was not engaging in sexual intercourse with him.
The step-mother did not report the matter to the police but moved out of the home.
It wasn’t until an argument ensued between the two ex-lovers in public that the defendant’s crimes came to light.
Someone who witnessed the woman accuse the defendant of having sex with his daughter informed the victim’s mother.
And the mother, having gotten confirmation from her daughter, took the matter to the police.
When interviewed by the police, the accused blamed the mother of his children saying “the way how [name] deal with me kids and me, mek me feel funny”.
“Because when [she] curse me and [my daughter] she confide in me and we get close; that’s why me have sex with she,” he clarified.
The sex offender admitted to three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, a plea which afforded him the customary one-third reduction in the 30-year sentence that Justice Stanley John started with.
The judge scolded the paedophile saying, “I don’t know what got into you…you are clearly a person in need of some form of psychiatric treatment and I hope you will get it and you will come to terms with yourself and ask for forgiveness.”
He then indicated that there were no mitigating factors, but several aggravating ones such as the fact that the defendant committed the act at least once in the presence of his partner.
He was then given 18 years for each count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
However, the sentences will run concurrently – meaning at the same time – and the period the convict has already spent in prison will be taken into account.
“I hope that this type of situation never comes before the court of Antigua and Barbuda again,” the judge lamented in concluding his sentence.
The victim is said to be receiving counselling.
The defendant has not been named to protect the victim’s identity.
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, contact action group WAR for support by WhatsApping +1 268 725-7522.
