By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
A 50-year-old man has failed to convince a court that his two-decade sentence for having sexual relations with his nine-year-old daughter should be reduced because he is getting too old.
The appellate tribunal of Justices Jon Isaacs, Stella Crane-Scott and Sir Michael Barnett affirmed the 20-year-sentence of the man, whose name has been withheld to protect the identity of the victim.
On September 3, 2018, a jury unanimously convicted the man of incest. Justice Renea McKay consequently sentenced the man to 20 years in prison in January of this year.
On April 14, the man filed an appeal—albeit out of time, against his sentence. The convict’s reason for appealing his sentence was that he is getting old and that 20 years in prison is too long a sentence.
The Crown, led by Camille Gomez-Jones and Cordell Frazier, argued that the appeal should not be allowed based on the precedents set in two cases, one of which saw one man sentenced to 25 years for raping his 14-year-old daughter, and another man sentenced to 30 years for raping a nine-year-old girl.
The appellate judges ultimately found that they had no basis upon which to interfere with Justice McKay’s sentence and that the convict could not demonstrate any prospects of success in his appeal.
His sentence was consequently affirmed.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.