– will only serve 25 years
DURING the observance of child Protection Week last week, Justice Winston Patterson imposed an appropriate sentence on convicted child rapist, Tyronne Mortley, of 50 years imprisonment. Mortley, 58, of Bee Hive, East Coast Demerara, was  found guilty by a mixed Demerara Assize jury last Wednesday in proportion of 10 – 2  on both counts of carnal knowledge for which Mortley was on trial.
The first count reads that Mortley, between April 1st and 30th, 2006, had carnal knowledge of a girl under 15 years.
The second count reads that Mortley on October 28, 2006, had carnal knowledge of a girl between 15 – 16 years old. Both incidents were committed on the same victim.
Following the verdict, which was rendered by the foreman of the jury just after two hours of deliberation, Justice Patterson asked Mortley whether he had anything to say before sentence was passed on him. He replied, “I am innocent.”
This response by Mortley caused Judge Patterson to tell him that he was “barefaced”. The judge further said, “You have been defrocked of that innocence because a jury of your peers has found you guilty”.
The judge also told him that he should apologise to the victim and her family instead of professing his innocence since the victim’s father was his “buddy.”
“You took advantage of the friendship you shared with the girl’s father and you set her up for the kill – so to speak -, because you turned her father against her so that when you made your move on her, the father would believe you.
“We, as parents, have to be blamed sometimes. The father even thought his daughter falsely complained to him about the lewd comments you made to her. He beat her because you told him she was lying and he so believed in you.
“You violated that home where you were a daily visitor, your buddy’s home, where you were like a father to the victim. Instead, you destroyed her life.”
Justice Patterson further told Mortley, “I am being lenient with you, 25 years on each count, a total of 50 years.
“However, I will order that they run concurrently.  That is why I say I am lenient because my mind is telling me to let the sentences be consecutive.”
According to the prosecution, whose case was presented by Mrs. Teshana James-Lake and Mrs. Judith Gildharie-Mursalin, the victim had gone to a bushy lot adjacent to her house to fetch water when she was called by Mortley who was in the bushes smoking a cigarette.
He asked her if she ever had sex and when she said ‘no’, he said “ah gan try it.” He proceeded to rape her after which he threatened to kill her and gave her a $1000.
On the next occasion, October 28, 2006, Mortley held down the victim on a table in the kitchen of her home where he again raped her, threatened her and gave her $1000.
On several occasions after that Mortley would offer the victim money to have sexual intercourse with him.
She told the jury that when she refused he told her that she was stupid.
The victim, now 20, also testified that she did not tell anyone what Mortley had done to her because on previous occasions when Mortley had made inappropriate comments to her such as “yuh getting thick,”  “after 12 is lunch” and “why you always closing your legs  when you see me” –  her father had beat her when she complained because Mortley claimed she was lying.
On December 26, 2006, the victim began suffering from abdominal pains and was bleeding. She was taken to the doctor by her parents and she was found to be nine weeks pregnant.
This led to Mortley’s arrest. Following a confrontation held by the victim’s father, an ex-policeman, between his daughter and his friend, Mortley gave an oral admission as well as a written admission.
This written statement was objected to by defence counsel Mr.  Compton Richardson but after a voir dire (a trial within a trial) was held, the judge ruled that the statement was obtained freely and voluntarily.
In his summing up of the evidence, Justice Pattersom had told them that even if the victim had gone willingly with Mortley, even if they found that she liked what he did to her, she was incapable of consent as she was a child protected by the law.
Rapist Mortley is 58 years old. When he is discharged from prison, he will be 83 years old.