FORTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD Gavin Assanah was, on Thursday, sentenced to 17 years in prison for two counts of rape, committed on a 12-year-old girl.

Assanah was sentenced by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Sexual Offences Court of the Demerara High Court.

In October, a 12-member jury found that Assanah, during the month of August 2014, in the county of Demerara, engaged in sexual penetration with a child under the age of 16. He repeated the offence on January 26, 2015.

He was represented by attorney-at-law Euclin Gomes. The State was represented by prosecutors Cicelia Corbin, Caressa Henry and Paneeta Persaud.

During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, his attorney pleaded with the court for leniency.

However, Persaud asked the court to consider that the victim’s innocence was snatched away by Assanah who had abused his position of trust.

In handing down her decision, Justice Morris-Ramlall considered the prevalence of such offences here in Guyana, and the fact that Assanah took advantage of the closeness he shared with the victim and her family.

He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on the first charge, and 17 on the second, but given that the sentences will run concurrently, he will only spend 17 years behind bars.

The judge further ordered that Assanah undergo counselling for sex offenders while in prison.

According to reports, Assanah was taken into police custody after the mother of the child filed a complaint against him.

The court heard that the incidents occurred at the home of the child’s mother. According to reports, Assanah was friendly with the mother and would frequently visit the family’s home.

After the first rape, the child became afraid and did not tell anyone what had occurred.

On January 26, 2015, Assanah visited the victim’s home again and raped her.

The child subsequently confided in her relatives and the matter was reported to the police. Assanah was later arrested and charged.