A 28-year-old plumber was on Friday, April 5, 2019, sentenced to serve 12 years imprisonment for having carnal knowledge of a four-year-old girl.

Dwayne Hamilton was recently found guilty of the charge which read that on February 21, 2007, in the county of Demerara, he had carnal knowledge of a four-year-old girl.
The trial was heard before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow in the Sexual Offences Court.

Hamilton was represented by Attorney Ravindra Mohabir, while the state’s case was presented by Prosecutors, Lisa Cave, Seeta Bishundial and Sarah Martin.
On Friday, a probation report was read in court following a request made by Hamilton’s attorney, Mohabir.

The report, which was read by a probation officer, Anand Sharma, explained that Hamilton served in the Guyana Defence Force but was dismissed, due to him sleeping while on duty.
Hamilton is known to the victim and her relatives, since he would often be around them.

Persons in the village described Hamilton as being a humble youth. Hamilton, after the alleged incident, lived with his mother at Festival City Squatting Area, North Ruimveldt.
The victim’s impact statement was read in court by Counsellor and Court Support Officer, Celeste Mullin.

The victim, in her statement, explained the she felt sad and afraid, but most times embarrassed since persons still talk about the alleged incident.
In her statement, the victim wanted Hamilton to know that she is no longer afraid of him and wanted him to be jailed.

Madam Justice Barlow, before handing down her sentence, said that she considered that at the time of the alleged incident the victim was four years old and Hamilton was 16.
Madam Barlow told Hamilton that the Court has a role to play to advocate against rape cases, especially when the accused is known to the victims.

Hamilton was sentenced to serve 12 years jail and was ordered to undergo counselling for persons convicted for sexual offences.

According to reports, at the time of the incident, the victim was four and Hamilton was 16. On the day in question, the victim had just come out of the washroom when she was allegedly confronted by the accused.

The accused allegedly took the child to the back of his yard where he raped her. The victim’s mother reportedly caught Hamilton in the act as she saw him with her daughter. Hamilton ran away and the matter was reported to the police.

The accused was on the run and was later arrested by police at his grandmother’s home.