The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A JUDGE has been asked to balance justice with mercy for a 31-year-old man who dragged a woman out of her home at midnight to rob and rape her at knifepoint as her two-year-old child looked on.

Randy Carlos Williams appeared before Justice Gregory Hilton yesterday afternoon having forgone a trial last July when he pleaded guilty to burglary, kidnapping and two counts each of rape and armed robbery concerning the July 19, 2011 attack on a woman in Andros.

There was DNA evidence linking Williams to the crimes, The Tribune understands.

However, sentencing was adjourned pending the court’s receipt of a probation report.

Janice McKenzie, a senior probation officer at the Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services, submitted the report to the court.

Williams’ appointed lawyer, Jiaram Mangra, asked Ms McKenzie if his client was incapable of rehabilitation.

“The fact that he admitted to committing the crimes and was remorseful for his actions suggests that he can be helped,” the probation officer said.

Crown prosecutor Raquel Whymms asked the probation officer if express remorse was the only illustration of a person’s capability for rehabilitation.

“No, there are other factors but he indicated this is something he would not do in the future,” Ms McKenzie said.

During a plea in mitigation, Mr Mangra said his client “accepted guilt and responsibility at the earliest opportunity”.

“He’s also expressed remorse for his actions. He had no previous convictions prior to the commission of the offences. He was a person of good character which has been attested to in the probation report,” the lawyer added.

Mr Mangra highlighted that Williams was once employed at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre (AUTEC) for 11 years before taking up work as a fisherman.

“I’d submit Mr Williams is capable of rehabilitation if provided with the facility to do so. He’s not a danger to society. I’ll ask the court to exercise leniency and to tender justice with mercy on his behalf,” Mr Mangra concluded.

Ms Whymms, in response, asked Justice Hilton to bear in mind that notwithstanding that Williams spared the complainant of having to relive the trauma by testifying in court, the facts of the case itself did not warrant leniency.

“The victim was home at 12am watching television and on the telephone when the call was cut. She turned around and there stood the defendant armed with a knife,” Whymms said.

Williams took the woman and her two-year-old child and forced them into a car where he raped her and then took her to an ATM machine to withdraw $900.

He took her to another ATM machine and had her withdraw $400 and shortly afterwards, raped her again.

“All of this took place in the presence of her two-year-old child, your lordship,” Ms Whymms stressed.

The prosecutor said the attack was carefully planned and the ordeal of the victim at the time “must have been horrific”.

“At one point, he made the victim go into a pond to test how deep it was because he’d intended on killing them,” the prosecutor said.

Justice Hilton noted that the probation report did not contain any thoughts by the victim herself, who could not be contacted.

However, the judge said he wished to reserve judgement until February 16 when he would be able to put his decision in writing.