The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A SUPREME Court judge yesterday sentenced a man to six years in prison after accepting his “unequivocal plea of guilt” to raping and robbing a woman at gunpoint almost five years ago.

However, Justice Carolita Bethel said she took into consideration the four years, 11 months and eight days Jamalio Laing spent in custody in connection with the May 12, 2012 incident.

Laing, as part of a plea agreement, pleaded guilty to three charges yesterday, namely rape, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm with the intent to endanger life.

According to initial reports, on the day in question, the victim was walking to her grandmother’s house when she was accosted by the accused, who pulled her into nearby bushes, forced her to commit sexual acts and have sexual intercourse at gunpoint.

He also stole a Nokia phone from the victim during the attack. Laing accepted the facts after they were read to the court by Crown prosecutor Anthony Delaney.

Justice Bethel, after noting Laing did not waste the court’s time, and by his guilty pleas spared the complainant the trouble of having to testify in the matter sentenced him to six years for each count.

The sentences are to run concurrently, she said.

However, she ordered that Laing be placed on a two-year probation at the Department of Rehabilitation upon the completion of his sentence, and consequently be assigned a counseling supervisor.

In the event he commits any criminal offences during that time, or if he fails to appear for his counseling or fails to follow his counselor’s instructions, he will serve an additional two years in prison.