A 62-year sentence was yesterday handed down to an emotionless 22-year-old man who, weeks before said he wanted to be honest with the court about having raped three females—two children and an adult.
Leon Jordan sat void of any emotion before Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Sexual Offences Court, as he listened to victim impact statements and his probation report.
On June 11, Jordan accepted that on February 2, of 2012, he sexually penetrated a seven-year-old girl, and then a little under a year after that, on January 13, 2013, he again committed the act—this time on a 14-year old.
He said he was also guilty of raping a 28-year-old woman three years after—on October 25, 2016.
Jordan was represented by attorney Maxwell McKay while the state’s case was prosecuted by prosecutors Seeta Bishundial and Abigail Gibbs.
Bishundial presented to the court facts relating to the three matters, followed by impact statements relating to two of the matters, and closed with a probation report.
Facts relating to the then seven-year-old girl, stated that on February 2, 2012, the child had finished school and was waiting on her older brother so that they could travel together. The defendant, who was known to the girl for about a year, since he would pick up his brother from the same primary school, rode up beside her and told her that her mother had sent him to buy chicken and that he would take her home after.
Jordan then grabbed the girl’s arm and pulled it, saying “If ya scream ah gon jook ya with a knife”. He then took the young girl to the seawall, where he pushed her to the ground, pulled off her tights and underwear, held the knife to her throat and violated her. Afterwards, Jordan took the young girl to a bus shed and left her there. She later found her way home by herself and collapsed on the kitchen floor, still bleeding from her genitals, in front of her mother.
After her mother revived her, the girl told her what had happened and was later taken to the hospital, where she was treated. The following day she was able to identify the defendant to her mother and the police. The defendant, when questioned by the police, stated, “Sir ah went to pick up ma lil brother and this lil girl ask me for a drop home an I carry she to a koker and push my finger in her genitals.”
The court heard that to date the girl still suffers from medical issues.
“I felt bad that such a terrible thing has happened to me…I use to work very well in school but had to miss school a lot because of being in the hospital…All I really wish is for him (the accused) to be locked up for a long time so he cannot hurt anyone else,” the child was quoted as saying in an impact statement.
Jordan was later sentenced to 12 years for the crime, which he committed at the age of 15.
The second offence, which occurred on January 13, 2013, was committed while the accused remained a juvenile and shortly after committing the first act.
On the day, the then 14-year-old girl was on her way home around 2:30 pm, when the defendant rode up to her armed with an icepick and asked her something. She was then forced onto his bicycle and taken to a deserted, bushy area, where the defendant pulled off her clothes and forced himself onto her, in the process holding the icepick to her neck.
Upon completion of the act, the defendant ensured that the area was clear before he allowed the girl to come out of the bushes. She afterwards complained to her parents, which resulted in her being taken to the hospital for a medical examination, which revealed that her hymen was ruptured with active bleeding. She was also able to identify the defendant to the police.
Prosecutor Bishundial told the court that they were unable to retrieve an impact statement from this young woman but were informed that she was gravely affected by the events that unfolded on that day.
Jordan will serve 15 years in jail for this offence.
“My voice will not be muzzled”
The court then heard the events that unfolded on October 25, 2016, which left a 27-year-old woman, six months after she was married and up to now, picking up the pieces of her life.
Around 11:07 am on the aforementioned date, the mother of five was on her way to work and was standing on the roadway awaiting public transportation, when the defendant approached her and told her something was wrong at home. This prompted the mother to begin to make her way home but her journey was cut short as Jordan accosted her and dragged her into a lonely, bushy area. A struggle then ensued between the woman and Jordan. During the struggle, the defendant, armed with a knife, viciously bit the woman, in the process biting off one of her eyelids.
As blood drained from her eye, the defendant forced himself onto her and raped her, despite her continual struggles and pleas for him to desist. The woman managed to free herself and ran away. She was later taken to the hospital, where she was seen by a doctor and admitted a patient for about five days. Corrective surgery was later performed on the mother to prevent her from losing her eyesight. According to the medical report, the woman sustained multiple lacerations to her left eye that completely removed her upper eyelid, exposing the eye. She too, also positively identified the defendant to the police.
“I’m not a formality and my voice will not be muzzled”, were the words of the woman as she took the stand to give her impact statement. “I never knew what an impact statement was until I became a victim”, the woman continued. During her statement she removed the fake eyelash she had on her left eye, revealing the visible end result of her brutal attack. She spoke, at some portions, in high pitches, with much pain in her voice, all while fighting through tears. “I was very aware when he ripped my eyelid off and spat it on the ground and all I could do was pray,” she stated. She recalled reciting the Lord’s Prayer and hearing Jordan tell her to shut up and that he was going to kill her. The mother recalled not being able to see for two weeks and her struggles to find funds to have another surgery for her eyelid.
For this crime, he was sentenced to 35 years behind bars.
During the reading of the probation report, presented by probation officer Zola Cameron-Lubin, it was stated that in May, 2016, the defendant was found not guilty of the rape of a child under the age of 16. The report stated that Jordan was described by some of the residents in his area as quiet, while others described him as wicked and associating with questionable characters. He was described by his mother as a good boy but one who associates with persons who use drugs. The court also heard that the defendant attended the psychiatric clinic at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH). The report ended by stating that the defendant did not seem remorseful about what he did and that he claimed he knew nothing about the offences.
Although a psychiatric evaluation was ordered, the court heard that the prosecution was unable to have it brought to court.
Attorney McKay, in mitigation, urged the court to note that the defendant accepted responsibility for the charges, committed two of the offences while he was a juvenile, and would benefit from psychiatric help. He highlighted the fact that his client has been an outpatient at GPH.
Justice Reynolds, prior to sentencing the accused, stated that it was a pity that the psychiatric evaluation was not present but that it is the court’s hope that efforts would be made for him to receive the treatment he needs. He added that as he looked at him (the accused) as the victims poured their hearts out, there was absolutely no emotion and it could not be real. “You are less than a human being, which you ought to be,” he stated. Jordan heard that the Judge considered the fact that he was a juvenile when he committed two of the crimes, the fact that offensive weapons were used and the life expectancy of a Guyanese male.
Jordan’s sentences of 12, 15 and 35 years will run consecutively. Justice Reynolds noted that he would not be eligible for parole until he would have served a total of 30 years.
