…Judge says Court must send strong message to others who may want to carry out such acts
A 12-member jury earlier today (Thursday) unanimously found Mark Campbell guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child that was left in his care by a mother who was working at nights. The type of sexual activity in which he engaged with the male under the age of 12 was penetrative in nature.
The first incident occurred sometime during the month of September 2011 when the lad was just 7 years old; while the second sexual act with the same young boy took place on July 20 2013, when the child was eight. Both of the crimes occurred at a community in West Demerara.
After the jury returned the guilty verdict following some 2 hours of deliberations, Campbell begged the court for mercy after having claimed that he did not receive a fair trial.
“Since the day I enter this court and see how everything was going, I knew I couldn’t get a fair trial,” the now convicted man expressed.
Unrepresented during the course of his trial, Campbell said that his family did not assist him in obtaining legal counsel, adding that it was “very hard to know” that the jury found him guilty.
Presiding judge, Simone Morris-Ramlall responded to his comments, saying that the court was not inclined to grant him mercy given that he violated the boy in the worst possible way and did not even show “one ounce of love” when the victim testified on the stand earlier this week.
“It was as if you were talking to a stranger. This court must send a strong message to others who may want to carry out such acts,” the judge noted.
After the sentencing was over, Campbell was escorted by police out of the courtroom and he attempted to hide his face away from the public. He will not see the outside world for at least 30 years after which he will be eligible for parole.
A total of six witnesses were called by the Prosecution to testify in the trial. The case was led by State Counsel, Seeta Bisundial in association with fellow Prosecutor, Narissa Leander. (Shemuel Fanfair)
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