A MAN convicted of having sex with an underage girl was sentenced to 15 years in prison yesterday, with the justice saying the case was “in essence a rape offence”.
Supreme Court Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson sentenced Walter Gray, 29, after a jury unanimously convicted him on two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor on December 5, 2020.
Gray had sex with a girl he frequently babysat in 2019 and 2020.
During the trial, it was said that the convict allowed the 13-year-old complainant to perform oral sex on him, allegedly at her request in 2019.
Gray, a trusted family friend, had sex with the same girl in 2020 when she was 14.
The girl’s mother pursued legal action against Gray when she found out about the relationship.
During the trial, Gray denied the allegations and claimed he was asleep and woke up to find the girl performing oral sex on him in 2019.
The prosecutor, Erica Duncombe-Ingraham, argued he concocted this defence during the trial after admitting to the offence on the record.
After the conviction, the girl’s mother said she did not believe he was remorseful over what he did.
The convict’s probation officer, meanwhile, said Gray’s family believes he is innocent and want him to get a lenient sentence. The probation officer also said Gray’s employers thought he was a good worker and were shocked by his conviction.
The victim testified that she is still recovering from the trauma inflicted on her as a child.
During the sentencing hearing, Gray’s lawyer requested a two-year sentence with a 5-year probationary period for his client. He asked for terms that would result in the imprisonment of his client if he breached probation. He asked that his client receive a second chance to re-enter society and help his family as soon as possible.
The prosecutor, however, requested a ten- to 15-year prison sentence.
In making her decision, Justice Grant-Thompson said unlawful sexual intercourse cases are “in essence a rape offence”. In addition to calling Gray’s crime a breach of trust, she said as an adult he should have resisted the sexual advances of a child.
She said she believes the convict is capable of rehabilitation. She said her sentencing decision was made to protect the nation’s youth and to act as a deterrent.
The 159 days Gray spent in remand were deducted from his sentence.
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