Man gets 16 years for sexually assaulting another

JUSTICE Dawn Gregory sentenced Waynewrite Telford to 16 years imprisonment despite defence counsel Carolyn Artiga pleading that the system had failed her client.

“Your Honour, my client made several reports to Central Police Station about unconsented sexual acts made on his person by the now deceased, Michael Kissoon. But what does he get in return, mockery.
“He suffered not just embarrassment from the public, but by the very police officers who investigated the matter. No further investigations were done with respect to his statement, in which he said he was sexually violated. He was never taken to a doctor who would have confirmed his case.
“The system has failed him. He should not bear substantial responsibility for the act,” the lawyer lamented.

Earlier, State Prosecutrix Renita Singh had narrated that, on April 11, 2010, at about 06:00hrs,Telford got up and felt his anus paining. After he wiped the area, he observed bloodstains.
An hour later, having soaked his clothes in an effort to have it laundered later, he, subsequently, overheard Kissoon telling a drug addict named Karlo that he had buggered Telford the previous night.
The convict got angry and was in a fury when he saw Kissoon asleep on a mattress, armed himself with a cutlass and fatally chopped the latter about his body .
A witness, Denise Gomes recalled being awakened by the sound ‘ouch’, from ‘Cripples’, a name by which Kissoon was called.
She went downstairs and, on seeing Telford, enquired what had transpired and he responded:”I just (expletive) a man, as he does bugger me in my sleep.”
Kissoon succumbed to shock and haemorrhage along with multiple incised wounds which included seven to his neck, face and severance to the spinal cord.
Meanwhile, at the request of defence counsel Artiga, Government Psychiatrist Dr. Mayda informed the court that she saw the man in the dock after he had complained of not sleeping.
He had visited her clinic after the incident had occurred but there was no previous record of him seeking psychiatric treatment.
At a previous hearing, Artiga had submitted that her client had pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
She, thereafter, requested that a psychiatric report be presented prior to sentencing.
However, even as the judge agreed to have it, she reminded the lawyer of the gruesome incident in which Kissoon alias ‘Red Man’ and Prickle was killed .
Justice Barnes asked counsel: “Did you look at the post mortem report? It is seven slashing wounds. It is very severe.
“For that reason, Your Honour, I need to have a psychiatric report,” Artiga replied.
In her compilation, on the prisoner’s background, Probation Officer Maisie Sheppard noted that Telford was the second of 10 children born to the now deceased Everine Telford, who had been employed as a sweeper/cleaner at the then Guyana Marketing Corporation.
Having lived with his mother and other siblings at various locations including Vryheid Village, West Canje, Savannah Park and Angoy’s Avenue, Telford was forced to terminate his schooling at age 13, due to the death of his mother.
He worked as a labourer at the then Daniels Drug Store, before being employed as a baker at Timmerman’s Bakery, before joining the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), where he left because of the lack of job satisfaction.
Sought employment
On returning to New Amsterdam, he sought employment at Harvey’s and remained there until his incarceration in April 2010.
He is the father of three children, all adults, from three different relationships.
Investigations revealed that the convict is quiet, peaceful and law abiding and members of the Angoy’s Avenue community said they were surprised to have learnt of his involvement in the crime.
The prisoner has expressed deep remorse and regret for the embarrassment caused, especially towards his children.
In conclusion, the reporting officer said, while there is no prior sign of aggression or violence displayed to the outside world, it was evident that the convict was provoked, which led him to be in a confused state of mind.
Still Sheppard said, regardless of a person’s circumstances and demeanour, that individual must be cognisant that there should be control and management of their anger, which will allow for the respect for the rule of law and the utilisation of the established services.
Justice Gregory expressed disappointment over the compendium, which in her opinion, is void of the prisoner’s disposition and behavioural history.
“I wanted to hear of his personality, based on the type of incident and injuries inflicted,” the judge said.