A 26-year-old Green Hill man was, on Thursday, jailed for 15 years for unlawful sexual intercourse with an 8-year-old girl.
Justice Brian Cottle handed down the sentence on Kawanie Williams, who was convicted 7-2 by a nine-member mixed jury on Nov. 23, after a full trial.
Williams committed the crime when he was 19 years old.
The facts of the case, as read by the judge, are that on Nov. 16, 2013, the “academically slow” child, as she usually did, went to Williams’ home so his sister could help her with her school work.
At one point while the child was at the house, Williams’ sister went into a bedroom for a nap, leaving the child alone in the living room.
Williams arrived at home and pulled the child into another bedroom and removed her jeans and underwear and had sex with her.
He ejaculated on the ground and then told the child to go back to the living room.
The child did not report the matter immediately, but two about weeks later, she attended a session at her school that dealt with child sexual abuse.
The child then reported to her teacher what had happened to her and the school informed her mother, who, in turn, reported the matter to the police.
A doctor examined the child and noted partial absence of her hymen and concluded that her condition was consistent with having been penetrated.
The judge said that in her impact statement, the victim said she experienced depression and anxiety and felt betrayed by someone she regarded as a family friend.
She now has trust issues and receives counselling at school, but still blames herself for not knowing how to complete her schoolwork and, therefore, requiring help.
The victim has been taunted by fellow students and has had to learn how to ignore these taunts.
Justice Cottle noted the aims of criminal punishment, namely retribution, deterrence, prevention and rehabilitation.
The judge noted that in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the maximum penalty for unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13 is life imprisonment, a notional sentence of 30 years.
Justice Cottle noted that the convicted man’s lawyer, Stephen Williams, had suggested that the court consider case law when sentencing his client.
The judge, however, said that the court was required to follow the promulgated sentencing guidelines instead.
He said that since the victim was under 10, the man’ crime was exceptional in terms of its consequences, and at the highest level of seriousness — “A” — because there was an abuse of a position of trust and the significant disparity in age.
The court held that the victim was particularly vulnerable because of her age and the fact that the defendant knew she was “slow”, as his sister described the child.
The judge began with a sentence of 18 years.
He found no aggravating features of the offence but held that a mitigating feature was the fact that no violence besides that inherent in the crime was used.
Justice Cottle found no aggravating features of the offender and gave him credit for the fact that he had no previous conviction.
And while Williams was subsequently convicted for burglary, the judge did not take this into account while arriving at his sentence.
He further noted that Williams was still young when he committed the offence.
Considering the aggravating and mitigating features and the possibility of rehabilitation, the judge moved the starting point to 15 years.
He then deducted from the sentence the 11 days that Williams had spent on remand, leaving him to serve a sentence of 14 years, 11 months and 19 days.
In mitigation, Counsel Williams had said that the defendant is a Christian and attends the Miracle Tabernacle Church in Green Hill.
He attended Bethel High School but quit in Form 3 and later enrolled at the Kingstown Technical Institute for one year, before exiting prematurely to seek employment, the lawyer had said.
So what took them so long to prosecute?
He should be sentenced up to the full amount that the law provides for, you see what happen to Quammie? He was accused of a crime and escaped conviction , only to stab a villager. That is so good for rehabilitation.
Not enough
Are you kidding me ?He was young when he had sex knowingly with an eight year old so we feel sorry for him and give him 15 years? He should be placed on the sex register and castrated bloody paedophile so sorry the little innocent girl had to go through this with this Monster her life is ruined not over baby girl my prayers go out to you.
It’s time these predators be put to death for these stupid willful crimes ,I do not care what anyone has to say about it .what can you get from an 8 yr old baby ,what? And there’s folks out there who’s crying shame on the justice system because he got 15 simple years? He should be buried by now ,real talk.
He should have get 30 yrs he knew she was a child look for his age , can’t trust no one .
A child rapist in the making here. He will do it he is a child preditor. What consideration did he give to the victim i jope they rape him in jail
So what in the name of Jesus is this ,, he call he self christian so you take off more years ehh,, what about the child eh at 8 years old you know what that can do to a child ,, makes u want to kill your self make it worst she slow …. Judge wicked ,, the lawyer who defend wicked and the 2 jury wicked …. The law is made up for the wicked to get away with doing bodily harm to other human beings … But to go jail how long for weed, drugs etc…..
These people that do such things are sick. They may not be violent or may be otherwise productive members of society. Nevertheless they should be isolated from children.
Just why? Why not put him chain up in front of the Iron man on a midday without shirt. You have a guy with a fan belt, salt water mixed with lime juice and be given ten strokes. Everyone can Facebook and YouTube his punishment and I bet you there would never be more of these sick behaviour in our country.
They all find Jesus after they have committed the most serious crimes. The old adage holds ,”You do the crime, you spend the time”.
If it were my daughter, it would have been an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth. I would have gotten even if I am alive and he is released.
What about the person in whose charge the child was left?
Shouldn’t he / she be held accountable?
How could you leave a minor in strange surroundings to go take a nap??
Pamella Barnwell it looks fishy. There is something in the mortar besides the pestle. You want to.tell me all that happen and she did not check to.see what the child doing? May be there is incest in that house.
I would like to point out something. As it relates to this statement “Williams arrived at home and pulled the child into another bedroom and removed her jeans and underwear and had sex with her.”
I would advise next time to state that he RAPED her and did not have sex. Call it what it is. You cannot have “sex” with an 8 year old child.