The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A Supreme Court judge yesterday sentenced a man accused of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a five-year-old boy to nine years and five months in prison.

Justice Bernard Turner told 49-year-old Dwight Bell he would be given a 10-year sentence for the incident, which reportedly took place on Christmas Day, 2014.

But Justice Turner also took into consideration Bell's pleading guilty to the charge at the onset of proceedings, which he said "spared the child the trouble of coming to court and testifying”.

As a result, he reduced Bell's sentence to nine years and five months.

However, Justice Turner emphasised his and society's "abhorrence to this kind of behaviour," and said it was his duty to "protect society from persons like (Bell)."

The judge added that Bell has the right to appeal his ruling.