The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON Tribune Staff Reporter ljohnson@tribunemedia.net AN ELDERLY Farrington Road man, during his arraignment in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, admitted that he had sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl. As a result of 65-year-old Paul Bullard's admission to the court, Magistrate Guilimina Archer, who called his actions "despicable", formerly convicted him, telling him that he would be imprisoned for eight months if he failed to pay the $2,000 fine. Bullard was brought before the Court 10 Magistrate on a charge of indecent assault that was said to have been committed against the child on Saturday, February 4. The accused told Magistrate Archer that he was not represented by counsel at the arraignment. Magistrate Archer asked for his plea to the offence after reading him the charge. "Guilty, your honour," he replied. Uncertain that she had heard correctly, she asked the accused to repeat himself. He again admitted his guilt. She asked the police prosecutor to read the facts surrounding the incident in question. The prosecutor said the incident took place in the back yard of the victim's residence, also on Farrington Road around 5.30pm. The nine-year-old girl was walking in her back yard to get ice from an ice machine. On the way, she saw a man she recognised and knew as Paul Bullard near the ice machine sitting on a crate. Bullard pulled her by the skirt and touched her private parts. The incident was witnessed by the victim's uncle who told her father what had happened. The police were contacted and they arrested and cautioned Bullard. The accused man accepted the facts read by the prosecution and said he was thankful that he did not take his actions further. "I'm thankful that I didn't pursue it. I'm 65 years of age under the influence of drugs. I need help." "You touched the young girl on her vagina?" the magistrate asked. "Yes," he said, and expressed his thanks for having been brought before Magistrate Archer. Before sentencing him, the magistrate asked if he had anything further that he wished to add. "I put everything in your hands, your worship. I leave it in the courts hands, but I do need help," he said. He admitted that his last conviction was some 35 years ago. Magistrate Archer said that consideration would be taken into the defendant's immediate plea of guilty and not having been in trouble with the law for over 30 years. "At the same time," she said, "the seriousness of the offence cannot be ignored." "What you did was despicable. The innocence of a little girl has been taken away. "Why would you want to place your hands on a little girl's vagina? Children are supposed to be loved and taken care of, not used and abused." "You are a rusty, grey, old man! With all of these women out here, why would you prey on a child? Your actions are totally unacceptable." She informed him that even in the circumstances of his early plea of guilt and near clean record, "you're just not going to get away with it. "You are to pay a fine of $2,000 or you will spend eight months in prison. The choice is yours." The handcuffed man was escorted from the court by police.