A 50-year-old man was this morning sentenced to 43 years’ imprisonment after he admitted on Tuesday to raping a child in 2013 when she was six-years-old and again when she was eight.
Colin Thomas appeared before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall on Tuesday and confessed to the crimes.
He admitted that between August 1, 2013, and 31, 2013, in the county of Essequibo, he engaged in sexual penetration with a six-year-old girl.
Further, he admitted that between December 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014, he engaged in sexual activity with the same girl when she was eight.
On the first charge, Thomas was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment while on the second charge he was handed a 23-year jail term.
The Judge, however, ordered that the sentences run concurrently, which means that Thomas will serve 23 years in prison. He only becomes eligible for parole after completing 18 years.
In considering an appropriate sentence for Thomas, the Judge considered that he abused a position of trust and betrayed the young girl. The Judge also considered the effects the crimes have had on the child and her family. Thomas will undergo counselling for sexual offenders during his time in prison.
Prosecutor Teriq Mohamed appeared for the State while lawyer Maxwell McKay represented Thomas.
