Sexual violence cases predominate June session of Demerara assizes

– Approximately 233 criminal cases listed for new session

Four judges are presiding over the criminal trials at the Georgetown Supreme Court. A total of 233 are listed to be heard by Justice Navindra Singh, Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and Justice Jo-Ann Barlow.  The

Justice Navindra Singh

judges were present yesterday as the October session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes opened with the usual ceremonial parade and police march past. Justice Singh took the salute.

During the session, 52 cases are listed to be heard by Justice Singh. He is expected to hear cases of murder, sexual activity with a child family member, attempted murder and rape.   Among the matters listed is the indictment against Selwyn McClintock for sexual activity with a child family member.

Justice Joann Barlow, who made her debut as Supreme Court Judge in the last session, is scheduled to hear a number of rape and sexual violence related matters. She will also hear the matters against Colin Jones, Randy Mars, Jahphar Simpson, David Anthony Watson and Basil Morgan. They are indicted for setting fire to a public building.

Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry is also expected to hear a number of sexual violence related cases, murder trials and matters of carnal knowledge.   Former Guyana Teacher’s Union, (GTU) President Colwyn King is listed to appear before Justice Beharry for carnally knowing a girl between the ages of 15 and 16.

Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire is expected to preside over the trial of Cyon Collier, called Picture Boy, for murder and unlawful possession of firearm and the case against Joel David for buggery.

In the last session five judges presided over criminal proceedings. They included, Justice George, Justice Singh, Justice Barlow, Justice Brassington Reynolds, and Justice Dawn Gregory.

Of approximately 231 criminal matters, 33 matters were disposed of. Twenty-three cases received attention in the High Court of Demerara and ten were nolle prosequi by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
According to information released from the DPP Chambers, of the matters, seven complainants could not be contacted despite police searches at their last known addresses and notices were published.

Justice Priya
Sewnarine- Beharry

In another two matters the complainants had migrated. While in the other six matters, the complainants indicated by way of writing that they no longer wished to proceed with their matters.

During the Demerara June 2015 Criminal Session there was one change plea, two guilty pleas, nine convictions, five not guilty verdicts, five formal verdicts of not guilty and a hung jury verdict. It was noted that a number of sexual violence related matters received attention of the court in this session.

During the session, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow completed eight matters. Of these eight matters, four matters for the offence of Rape of A Child under Sixteen Years, one for Sexual Activity with A Child under 16 Years and, an Attempt to Commit Murder case, a manslaughter, and Carnal Knowledge of Girl under 15 Years.

The Manslaughter accused was acquitted on a unanimous verdict of not guilty.  Three persons were acquitted of Carnal Knowledge after the complainant related that she did not wish to proceed with the matter.
In one Rape trial, the jury could not reach a verdict and a retrial was ordered for the accused.

In a second rape case, the complainant told the Court that she no longer wished to proceed with the matter. The accused was acquitted.

In a third matter, the accused was indicted on three counts; two counts for the offence of Rape of a Child under 16 years and one count for the offence of Sexual Activity with a child under 16 Years.  He will serve a total of 37 years imprisonment.  In the fourth case, the accused was acquitted after the complainant, who in addition to giving a written statement, testified that she did not wish to proceed with the matter.

In the one matter of Sexual Activity with A Child under 16 years, the accused was sentenced to seven years imprisonment after he was found guilty.

In the matter for the offence of Attempt to Commit Murder, the accused was sentenced to 20 years

Imprisonment after the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty.
Justice Navindra Singh disposed of three cases. In one matter for Murder and two counts of Setting Fire to a Dwelling House, the accused was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of Manslaughter.

In one of the two Murder cases the accused was sentenced to 57 years imprisonment after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. The accused in the other Murder trial pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of Manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.

Justice Brassington Reynolds also completed three matters. In

the first Murder case, the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of Manslaughter and was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment by the trial Judge. In the other Murder trial, the accused was also sentenced to 13 years imprisonment after the jury found him guilty on the lesser count of Manslaughter.

In the one matter for the offence of Manslaughter, the accused was acquitted after the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.
Justice Dawn Gregory completed five matters. Of these five cases, an accused was acquitted of Manslaughter; one was found not guilty for Rape of a Child under 16 years, and another was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty for a similar offence. In a third matter the accused was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.  And in another case of Carnal Knowledge of a Girl under 15 years, the accused was acquitted after the complainant indicated that she no longer wished to proceed with the matter.

Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire disposed of four cases. Of these four matters, an accused was freed of Manslaughter after the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty. In the matter for the offence of Murder three accused were indicted and tried together.

Two accused were both found guilty by the jury and were respectively sentenced to 55 years and 52 years imprisonment.  The third accused was acquitted after the trial judge up held a no case submission. The State has appeal this decision.

An accused indicted on two counts of Sexual Activity with A Child Family member was also sentenced to a total of 45 years imprisonment.  In another rape matter the accused was acquitted after the jury found him not guilty.   (Rehanna Ramsay)