A prison term of three years and three months was imposed on an 18-year-old boy after he pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a 10-year-old girl.
On the first count which occured on August 21, 2015, the teenager asked the young girl to follow him to the shop.
Instead, he took the child to an abandoned house where he threatened to kill her two-year-old brother if she did not have sex with him.
Fearful for the life of her young brother, the girl gave in. Then again on February 16, 2016, the young girl followed him to deliver a cake to someone.
However, he took the child to a latrine toilet and again threatened to kill her if she did not have sex with him.The child complied.
On the first count, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment; on the second count to three years and six months. The sentences are to be served concurrently.
Justice Jo Ann Barlow gave him a sentence reduction of three months in light of his early guilty plea. Under the Juvenile Offenders Act, the maximum penalty that can be imposed for such offences is five years’ imprisonment.
Justice Barlow ordered that the teenager is to undergo counselling for young sexual offenders while incarcerated.
Further to that, one week before he is scheduled to be released from custody, he has to report to the Ministry of Social Protection Probation Department to undergo additional counseling and supervision.
He also has to enroll in the skills training programme under that Ministry. Failure to adhere to the court’s orders will see him being further imprisoned for a year.
The case for the prosecution was presented by State Counsel Teriq Mohamed, lawyer Maxwell Mckay appeared for the teenager.
