In what was described as a case of grooming, Rawlston Carrington was made to pay compensation to the under-aged girl with whom he had sex 17 years ago.
Carrington, then 28, now 44, of Montrose, Christ Church, had pleaded guilty, in the No 4 Supreme Court, to having sexual intercourse with a girl who had attained the age of 14 but not 16, between January 5 and August 31, 2009.
He was represented by attorney Shadia Simpson, while State Counsel Paul Prescod appeared for the prosecution.
Last Friday, Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell said that unless there were exceptional circumstances, cases of sexual offences were usually “visited with custodial sentences”.
She added that after considering the facts and the evidence, she determined that the threshold for a custodial sentence had been crossed.
The judge said she determined that seven years was the appropriate starting point for the sentence.
She reduced the starting point by one year for the mitigating features in the case and deducted one third for the guilty plea. Carrington spent no time on remand.
Justice Smith-Bovell then imposed compensation of $15 000 of which Carrington was ordered to pay $2 500 forthwith.
He must pay a further $2 500 by February 27, and the remaining $10 000 by November 13. If he fails to pay the compensation he will spend one year, 285 days in jail.
She further sentenced him to one year, 285 days in jail but suspended it for two years.
The court had heard the girl, who is hearing impaired, and Carrington, a painter, met at a friend’s house and he placed his number in her phone. He tried to hug her but she refused.
She texted him the next day and he texted, calling her beautiful and telling her he loved her.
She did not respond but when he asked to see her, she told him her mother was at home. Carrington asked her to text him when her mother left and when she did so, he came to the house and she allowed him in. He kissed her before she pushed him away.
The two continued texting each other but her sister saw the texts and informed their mother, who got angry and ordered her daughter to have nothing to do with Carrington.
Then during the first week of 2009, she saw him at Sheraton and he started texting her, saying he loved her.
One day while her mother was out, he visited the house and initiated sex. The girl said they had sex a number of times.
Her mother eventually discovered the trysts after reading her diary and took her to the police station.
Carrington subsequently told police the girl had told him she was 16, going on 17 years.
He said one day her sister called his cellphone, wanting to know who it was, and her mother also called and was vexed at first, but after they spoke, he told her he would stop talking to the girl.
When the girl saw him some time later, she started texting him about being together.
He said he did not want to, but in an attempt to make her stop, he did.
He added the girl threatened to “**** up” him if she could not get him. (HLE)
