By Latrishka Thomas
“This is the worst case I have ever heard in my life,” Justice Ann-Marie Smith stated after a man admitted to having sex with his daughter.
The 51-year-old pleaded guilty to four counts of incest, admitting to having intercourse with his own daughter on multiple occasions between 2014 and 2015.
The incidents involved the man engaging in sexual acts with his daughter while she was still a minor, resulting in her becoming pregnant at the age of 15.
Initially, in March 2023, the defendant denied the charges, leading to the commencement of his trial on Tuesday, at which time he was without legal representation.
The victim testified to enduring daily abuse from her father since childhood.
After sharing her story, the trial was set to resume on Wednesday, but a major turning point arose.
Attorney Wendel Alexander decided to represent the defendant free of charge. After considering the attorney’s advice, the defendant changed his plea, leading the jury to deliver a guilty verdict.
During her testimony on Tuesday, the now 25-year-old victim disclosed that she had reported the sexual abuse to her school counsellor when she was approximately 11 years old, resulting in police intervention.
She provided a witness statement and was subsequently removed from her home for her safety.
However, prior to her departure, her father coerced her into writing a letter falsely accusing the counsellor of fabricating the abuse allegations.
Against her will, she complied with her father’s demands and was allowed to remain in the abusive environment, suffering ongoing sexual assault.
In June 2014, the defendant returned home heavily intoxicated and had sexual intercourse with his daughter outside the house in a section that was still under construction.
The following year, in December, it was confirmed that the victim was pregnant. She was fully aware that the child belonged to her father as he was the only person she had engaged in sexual activities with.
Even during her pregnancy, the abuse did not cease, as the man continued to have sexual relations with her.
Furthermore, shortly after the baby was born, before the six-week recovery period, the defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with his daughter again, exacerbating her postpartum bleeding.
Around six months after the birth, she contacted her welfare officer, leading to her removal from the home and placement in a safe environment, both for her and the baby.
The defendant was initially arrested in 2015, although the case was never fully brought before the court.
It was not until 2021 that he was rearrested and officially charged after the victim took legal action against him to seek child support.
After pleading guilty yesterday, the man’s bail was revoked. He is now on remand at His Majesty’s Prison awaiting sentencing on May 10.
