Richie Thomas, a 28-year old man from a southern community in Dominica, is now spending 6 years 6 months at the Dominica State Prison after he was found guilty of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse (USI) with a 12 year-old girl in 2018.
Thomas pleaded not guilty to USI and Indecent Assault resulting in a trial from May 19, to May 28, 2021.
During the one week trial, the jury of seven women and two men heard from six witnesses.
State attorney attached to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Daina Matthew, prosecuted the case while attorney-at-law Peter Alleyne of the Legal Aid Clinic, conducted the defence for Thomas.
According to the evidence in the case, on January 29, 2018, the 12-year-old girl was walking home from school when she heard the accused walking behind her.
Thomas then stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulder and steered her towards a nearby shack where he sexually assaulted the minor.
Upon her arrival home, her mother took her to the police station to make a report and from there went to a health center in her community where she was examined by a medical professional.
The Virtual Complainant was later taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital and admitted. She was examined by consultant gynaecologist Dr Curvin Ferreira.
In handing down her sentence, High Court Judge, Justice Wynante Adrien-Roberts noted that the offence of USI carries a maximum prison term of 25 years but she gave a starting point of 10 years and 6-months.
After going through the steps of arriving at an appropriate sentence looking at the mitigating and aggravating factors, Justice Adrien-Roberts sentenced Thomas to 6 years 6-months at the Dominica State Prison.
And if the family had decided to take matters into their own hands it would be another matter ent??? 6 years?!! A man rape my daughter and get 6 years jail??! Well he better believe that I will be waiting for him outside that prison gate 6 years down the road…he will wish they had given him life.
6 years is not enough… he should get life!
What mitigating and aggravating factors? The man raped the child? Who or what aggravated him? Stupes tan. They will have to explain that to me pal.
6 years?! Well best I deal with my daughter’s rapist and go sit down Stockfarm. Does the justice system consider the mental health and well being of rape victims? This horrible event will be forever etched in her memory while her assailant gets a slap on the wrist! I do not care how much deliberation it took…he followed that child and raped her. A 12 year old is not mentally mature enough to consent to sex, this nonsense of taking away the innocence of our young minds need to STOP!!! This judge should be ashamed of him/herself 😡
They should lock his as. up for life
why start at 10 and not 20?
He should be handed over to the family of the rape victim. I’d be a family member by force. We need to change that rape law.
You know, we all would like to see harsher sentences but I must commend this Judge for the way she hand down her punishment to convicts. She is methodical, deliberate, always tempers judgement with mercy with a caring attitude towards both convict and complainant. Another person I see following her style is Magistrate Laudat from Mahaut. For a former police officer and a master prosecutor I am always amazed of the way he carries himself on the job.No slack for the police when they mess up too. A consulate professional.
Too many times all we do beat them down because we want a harsher sentence not realizing there are guidelines to be followed. Hopefully one day we will give these two Dominicans their flowers while they are still alive.
He is 28, the little girl is 12; what mitigating factors the Judge talking about? Do you think the Judge would act in a similar manner if the victim was the daughter of the her family or friend?
seriously? why should we have compassion for the perpetrator who targeted a schoolchild minding her business and making her way home? Who knows if this is the first time he has even done this?
She will be in jail in her head for the rest of her life so he should be in physical jail for the rest if his life and die there!!