A man from a community in the north of the island has been jailed for five years by High court Judge Victoria Charles-Clarke after he was found guilty by a nine-member jury on a charge of buggery.
Harold Tyson had pleaded not guilty to the charge but after a full trial, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty.
The maximum sentence is 10 years in jail.
In mitigating, his lawyer Wayne Norde, told the court that before the incident, his client was a member of the village council in that community and also a scout leader.
He told the court that “no violence was used in the commissioning of the crime,” the Virtual Complainant (VC) was of the age of consent and his client was previously of good character.
Tyson, through his lawyer, asked to address the court and said he was sorry.
“I am deeply sorry that I have to be in here at that stage of myself,” he said from the prisoner’s dock. “I ask you to temper justice with mercy since the conditions of the prison are not the very best. I regret that we had to go through this…I am sorry.”
The prosecution told the court that Tyson should be jailed for his actions especially given that fact that he showed “no remorse for his action, it was premeditated, there was penetration and he waited when the VC was asleep to do his action.”
Justice Charles-Clarke stated that “buggery is abhorred by society and is a serious crime in Dominica.”
A social inquiry report concluded that the VC felt humiliated and angry and sometimes distances himself from people and the incident has adversely affected his state of mind. However, the judge stated that “this is not the worst case of buggery.”
She placed her sentence at six years with a one year discount and gave him five years with time spent on remand.
Tyson was found guilty during the January 2017 Criminal Session.
there are so many questions to be asked about this case. If the victim was asleep as they claim, was he naked? And if he was asleep how come someone can do all that to you and you didnt wake up. were you a willing participant and as you guys were caught you felt like you were the victim. As i said there are alot of questions and some things doesnt add up
So a man chopped a woman near death and he faces 4yrs jail time. Two grown mean had sex. They were caught and one decided to turn on the other. You jailing that man for more time than a man who slaughtered a woman? I can’t with the law of my land
I am an innocent man. Well done Judge. It takes a person like yourself to make human being realized how expensive their body is and not to mess about with it. they MUST BE RUBBING their hands together. There is no canal knowledge therefore it cannot consider as rape. If a person has his or her ways and you don’t approve stay away from them. The person who reported the matter has no shame, All I can see is hatred and revenge. I am hoping we get it right some day.
He had both canal- and carnal knowledge and should be locked away for a long time. We should also institute a public register of convicted sex offenders.
I suspect there is much to this case than what is reported by DNO. Why the buggery charge instead of a rape charge? Was there an existing relationship between the two men before they were found out? Why would the man who is convicted be sharing the same bed?
so a man that was found guilty of attempted murder got 4 years and one who’s guilty of robbery got 10 years.. like seriously??? You people need to do better than that. Pure nonesense smh
I’m clearly bothered by this verdict and by the judge…
when is this backwards law going to be repealed? to say that “buggery is abhorred by society ” is a grossly negligent statement. It is abhorred by the simple, small minded and highly hypocritical society found in the islands., including Dominica.
Fine- buggery is illegal in Dominica. But I’m more appalled by the fact that the perpetrator wasn’t charged with RAPE.
It’s ironical how a homosexual is punished yet a murderer goes free, how a pedophile gets a slap of the wrist.
And to even go as far as saying… “this is not the worst case of buggery” is a VERY BIG insult to the victim.
this judge needs to apologise for her insensitive remarks. It’s like telling the victim he should have protected his ass. Get real and GTFOH.
homosexual is an abomination to God. Dominica not in no dark age. Because America legalizing all nonsense we should not follow them. America will suffer like sodom and Gommorah if they don’t stop
What ignorance…
Dominica wants to be ahead just like other countries and Islands – yet they are miles behind
The offence here is rape- not being Gay
being Gay is not a crime and if you all feel it is why are you all trying to flee to America some of you even going as far as to have your children born there and not in DA
wake up this is 2017 – nothing wrong with being yourself
Pray for your soul…
Kimmy, out sot, the man was convicted not for being gay but raping another man. That is the issue here bro. If you want to be gay, be gay or homosexual as I know it. No problem with that, just don’t commit a horrible crime like this
Because Dominica about to finish
Was this rape or two man get a caught??
Interesting question. A lot of unanswered questions about this case.
and the one that take the wood more ashamed because, well he that take the wood.
And only one convicted? Use your loaf brother. It is both buggery and rape.
Unreal, this man has clearly lost his mind !! A man of your stature within the community raping another man while he is asleep, this is absurd !! ROIT IN JAIL MAN!!
correction : what does
Six years living in relevant comfort at tax payers expense .
the victim has a lifetime of torment to live with ,
Nightmares, sense of insecurity ,feelings of humiliation , mental anguish , will be tearing the victim apart for the rest of his life , The bastard will be out in a few years and smiling .
sometimes self justice may be understood by de Good Lord even when humans refuse to understand .
De victim may not have a life again or a very disturbed life ; i wouldnt want to fit into one of his slippers far less his shoes .
Six years living in relevant comfort at tax payers expense .
the victim has a lifetime of torment to live with ,
Nightmares, sense of insecurity ,feelings of humiliation , mental anguish , Did he tear him
Stitiches and all? ?
What doe the judge mean by “this was not the worst case of buggery”. I mean buggery is buggery. Sin is sin whether is murder or fornication. I wonder at our so called justice system
i always say is when it reach home the judges think differently
Vanessa maybe it could have been worse, maybe it could have been 7 man that do him that. maybe they could have used blunt objects, maybe he could have been maimed and cut out his tongue so he cannot talk. who knows vanessa? it could have been worse the judge say.
In this day and age we still arresting people for being gay? and if that’s the case why don’t they arrest both men?
you doesn’t hear the victim was asleep and Harold forced himself on the man?? all you lucky I cannot use adult language here you know.
so why not change him with rape?
The crime should be rape, if the virtual complainant did not consent. With all those homosexuals around the place, in high offices, it is ridiculous to jail the guy for buggery, when others are openly advocating for its legalization. This is hypocrisy and the judge is wrong, buggary is not abhorred in Dominica, otherwise the jail would be full with faggots.
Sorry young fella, next time you want to put it on a man go find one of those high class men and don’t rape an innocent that is not in your business. Wrong move.
When I first heard the news my question was, how comes is only one person that was charged and I wondered whether the other party was an animal, thanks DNO you clarified and I understand why the VC was not identified.
You should research definition of laws before talking all that rubbish of what the charge should be. You clearly have no understanding of court matters so stop making a fool of yourself while playing smart. You want to sound enlightened but you just sound unread.
I think it is you, who tries to be clever. Whether forced entry by the front- or back entrance against the will and wishes of the victim, male or female, heterosexual or gay, is rape in my book and I will challenge any judge any time to reason why that is not so.
a country where only the poor will be prosecuted
there is a something missing int his story.
can you please remind us of the incident. Whom did he bugger (leaving out the name of course) – you only wrote about verdict but give us a reminder please DNO
Cya cool cya quench ever lasting burning FIRE.
FIRE!!!
Babylon you renk yaw..
DNO, why are you so bias…if he was from any other community, you would have named it. He was tried and convicted, you have his photo out, so what’s the secrecy….my guess is because he is from the community that is near the vast deep BLUE sea. ……Bias reporting.
whose name and picture do you want to know? the victim? Would you want your name and picture posted if you just had your back blown out by some other man? For them to make calypso on you ? Most likely not. so why do you want it for your fellow man? At least leave the man with some scraps of his dignity. You animals have no sense of privacy or confidentiality.
You did the act while the person was asleep so you did it without his consent so you are totally wrong. You messed up the victim for life, you say you are sorry but the damage has been done. I hope the victim had some counseling,
Where he is going he will get lots of that. It’s all happening all secrets begin to come out.Look look it ‘on video, in the roro’ they caught you with your pants down.
When will Dominica come out of the dark ages?
We ignore real criminals who have sold the soul of the country to buy UN votes for countries that do not respect human rights. Yet deny this man his human rights to be in a concenting relationship which doesn’t hurt anyone
How sad. ..Especially when the ‘church’ had been a hiding place for gay men and they have brainwashed normal families into condemning this..
Oh my goodness thank you for being so reasonable! The charge should have been sexual assault because there was no consent. The whole buggery thing – are you kidding me? People are buggered on a daily basis on the island – with consent – this is still a crime?
Give me a break Dominica and start going after the real criminals.
Yes it is still a crime, consent or not. REspect the laws people. In America we cannot drink a beer and walk down the street, we respect and accept their laws. Here, you CANNOT WANT TO JUST BE BULLING PEOPLE! that goes for man and woman.
The charge of buggery is what? Is it anal sex? If it was of consenting, should it not be rape? The laws seem to be archaic. Where the DA legal profession on this?
Why was he charged with buggery and not rape? Taking advantage of a young man in your care while he is sleeping! Now this young man is going to be subjected to the ridicule and torment of the judgemental dominican public and will be branded a “bogara” and not a victim. Nonsense! Such a low sentence. What is happening in dominica
He is sorry? The harm was done. Obviously he is one of those who do not give due homage to God and pray. If he probably had prayed prior to going to bed, he would not have done that. Give him a Holy Bible and relevant counseling.
The problem with some people of the world is they turned their backs on God and so they are left to their own devices to the temptation of Satan. This is the primary reason why there are so many crimes and escalating ones in the world.
Christians must escalate their prayers and pray fervently, with the heart to God and ask Him to change the hearts of those people. Criminals are a menace to society. They also cause society a lot of hardship, grief and money, especially their victims. This is why they should be incarcerated for a certain period and rehabilitated that, hopefully, when they are released they will become a model national. The world is in dire need of it and Dominica, with no exception as we hear and read about.
Did Harold rape the victim? If this was non-consenting sex, what wasn’t he charged with rape? I don’t understand the charge. If it was rape why not just charge and convict him of that offence? That buggery offence sounds like a charge that was laid in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan.
Go for women your age that will consent to a blossoming relationship that may bear beautiful kids. Sad thing is if is that you like well the judge has sent you the right place. After your stint in stocky you may come to realize that is NOT what you want but again to each his own. May god forgive you for what you did to the person without his consent.
Assertive like the rod of moses!
Not all men are attracted to women and not all women are attracted to men despite what you believe. It’s a fact of life. I am not commenting on the case but on your opening sentence.
This is clearly a case of RAPE. This man was convicted for committing a nonconsensual sexual act, not of sodomy. Shame on the news source for broadcasting this. Why don\’t you focus on the real news?
If it was non consensual sex it was rape.
If it was anal sex it was sodomy. Evidently it was both. Why not charge him with both and lay both penalties on him?
Better still provide Christian counseling and let him know he can be saved by the grace of God if he will
believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and receive Christ as his personal Savior. (John 1:12)
It is written:
*… … …the blood of Jesus Christ (God*s) Son cleanses us from ALL sin.* (1 John 1:7)
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives!
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
Is our justice system fair at all? A man tries to cut off his ex-girlfriend neck (attempted murder) permanently incapacitating her, he get 4yrs and 7months. Another was involved in a case of buggery and gets 5 yrs. Which is the more heinous crime?
It is always sad to see a man involved in a sin (crime) that produces such hurt and shame.
The tendency that drove him to commit this action is evil. But God is able to not only forgive him. He can and will deliver him. With that comes a new beginning.
It is obvious Mr. Tyson has the potential to be a contributing member of society, and has been such in the past. If he will allow God to work in his life I can tell him God will do what needs to be done and he will becomes all God intends him to be. This is a time when he needs to know he has friends. When he comes out of prison let them show kindness and extend a helping hand.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
Please stop with your nonsense. It is this type of rhetoric that keeps Dominica in the dark ages.
What is keeping Dominica in the dark ages is the unwillingness of the people to accept the light of the word of God and walk in that light.
Adopt the moral code of the New Testament and make it the law of the land. You will have both Divine protection and provision. This applies to my own nation (Canada) and every other country. The great western hemisphere is soon to fall. The nations cup of iniquity is almost full.
It is the desire of the people to live in sin and to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season that is
keeping the nation in darkness.
When the word of God is preached and taught, where is it upheld, people know the difference
between right and wrong and prosper. When they obey God they have good success.
I challenge you to visit our website http://www.livinghopeministries.ca
Click onto SERMONS.
Listen to the my sermon FACING THE REALITY OF SIN.
Please read Isaiah 8:20, and Joshua 1:8.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
I am not surprised you do not give us our name.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
Crimes and sins are two different things. Smoking Marijuana is not a sin, yet here it is a crime. Sodomy is a sin, but not a crime in many countries.
Why have you chosen TELEVANGELISTS ARE FALSE PROPHETS as your handle?
I have been interviewed on T.V. and preached on T.V. but I am not a televangelist.
A televangelist who preaches false doctrine is a false evangelist. He is false if he preaches unscriptural doctrines contrary to the Bible.
How many televangelists have you heard
Do you know your Bible well enough to be able to judge evaluate their preaching 
This is a serious charge you are making and I hope you will reconsider it and be very careful what you say.
Most televangelists are genuine servants of God and are bringing thousands to Christ.
Televangelists are pouring millions of dollars annually into poor nations to build and operate
orphanages, schools, hospitals and clinics, and to treat the sick and dying. They are digging wells to provide clean drinking water for the people. They are rescuing girls and women from the sex trade.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
Sanctimonious twaddle!
Ten years would have been appropriate, but this a third world judge with a third world mentality, I am surprise he got any prison time at all ,until the people in power start being the victims nothing is gonna happen in the court system .
where dat _________________come out ? ONLY 4 YEARS?
6 years for buggery yet murderers are free to walk the face of the earth, by the way is it illegal if men do it to women consensually ?
It is also illegal. Buggery involves anal penetration. Regardless of if the receiver is male or female. Buggery and homosexuality is a crime in Dominica.
Why not call it rape then, I was about to ask why this man gets 5 years and attempted murder gets 4
Isn’t that equal to rape?
We are very sick people, when we will find it in acceptable taste to punish a man 5 years for buggery and then punish another man only four years for critically wounding another human being . I only support that kind of sentence for buggery where rape of another human is involved , man or woman.
Laborites that have the country so, they destroyed the court systems and people’s morality in Dominica. It only gets worst from here.
Are you to suggest that all people in the Red side ( im on no side by the way) are bogar minded supporters?
Cause i know a many who would show violence against it…
Please do not use politics to stereo-type. It is on both political sides. People do this, not colours.
So they sending him to prison as punishment for buggery?
He must feel like he died and went to heaven.