Warren George, who escaped from the High Court last week Tuesday by jumping over its western corridor, has been acquitted of a charge which alleged that he raped a woman.
But he was found guilty of assaulting her so as to cause her actual bodily harm on June 12, 2020.
George had been on trial before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed 12-member jury for the offence of rape, contrary to Section 3 (3) of the Sexual Offences Act, and assault causing actual bodily harm, contrary to Section 49 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act.
Following more than two hours of deliberations on Wednesday, the jurors returned their verdicts at the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown.
The convict, a former member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), was further remanded to prison and his sentencing hearing is fixed for late next month.
Everyone who assaults any person so as to cause him/her actual bodily harm shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and liable to imprisonment for five years, the Act stipulates.
This publication understands Warren and the woman had dated. However, after he had broken up with her, he still became angry after she received a call from a contact stored as “my love”. He then choked her and during the ordeal, the woman alleged that he also raped her.
During last Tuesday’s trial proceedings, George, 22, a bodybuilder, had requested to use the washroom. As such, a Policeman was instructed to escort him to the location.
However, as the Policeman was escorting him back to the courtroom, George sprinted from him and then jumped over the corridor rails. After landing in a small pool of water, he immediately got back up and ran away in the direction of Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown.
Accused persons who are on bail pending their trials are not usually secured by handcuffs and foot shackles. A reliable source had told this publication that Police ranks stationed at the court gave chase after George, but were unable to apprehend him.
The source related that, to everyone’s surprise, George showed up at court the following morning, and explained to the Judge that his actions were a mistake.
But Justice Singh, after considering the serious nature of the offence, revoked George’s bail and remanded him to prison, pending the hearing and determination of his trial.
