Ivor Laud was yesterday handed a combined sentence of 47 years in prison for raping an eight-year-girl back in 2015, whom he again sexually assaulted two years later.
Justice Jo-Ann Barlow imposed 22 years on the first count and 25 on the second, but ordered that the sentences be served concurrently, which means that Laud would have to serve 25 years.
The thirty-two-year-old was convicted by a jury earlier this month, but his sentence had been deferred for a probation report and impact statement from the complainant.
When the matter was called yesterday morning, the judge informed that she had received both documents, but noted that since the prosecution and defence had already perused them, they were not going to be read in court.
Presenting her plea in mitigation for clemency on behalf of her client, defence attorney Rachael Bakker said that though the probation report had indicated a lack of remorse from Laud, he was in fact sorry for what he had done.
Bakker at the time advanced that once given the opportunity, the convict would himself say to the court how deeply sorry and regretful he was for what he had done.
In his tearful address to the court, however, Laud straightaway began by professing his innocence, begging the judge to “see wah yuh could do fuh me, please.”
He then said he was sorry, but sorry because he had done nothing.
“My Honour, I’m sorry cause lord knows I’m innocent,” he said as he repeatedly pleaded with Justice Barlow to see what she could do for him.
He committed for the judge’s consideration his minor children whom he said would find life difficult without him, since he was the sole breadwinner for his family.
Bakker then said that there was really nothing she could advance in mitigation for her client, especially given the position of trust he had breached, but did ask the court for mercy.
In her address, however, Prosecutor Sarah Martin asked the judge to consider the nature, gravity and prevalence of the offence, while emphasizing what she described as the “negative impact” the abuse has on the complainant.
“Her innocence and childhood have been taken from her. It is something she will have to live with for the rest of her life and will never forget,” the Prosecutor submitted; even as she asked the judge to also consider Laud’s lack of remorse.
Before imposing sentence, Justice Barlow said she considered both the mitigating and aggravating circumstances to arrive at a balance; and noted that while the offence carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, she did not find that Laud’s case had fallen into the “worst of the worst” category to have so warranted.
On the first count, the judge commenced at a base of 22 years, to which she made no further additions or deductions.
On the second count for which she commenced at a base of 24 years, the judge said that a one-year addition was warranted, given a number of aggravating factors.
First of all, the judge said she found Laud to have been emboldened in his actions after raping the child the first time by which he continued the abuse, leading to raping her a second time.
Justice Barlow said, too, she considered as aggravating factors, that Laud was an adult with a family of his own, had breached a position of trust and had taken no responsibility for his actions.
She pointed out that he instead sought to advance a “conspiracy theory,” of the complainant’s relatives framing him and encouraging her to say that he had sexually assaulted her.
On account of the aggravating factors, the judge added the additional year to the base sentence on the second count, taking it to 25 years.
She noted that mitigating factors were found, but said that the aggravating ones far outweighed those, and so no deductions would be made.
The judge did, however, cite Laud’s good behaviour in prison over the last three weeks he had been remanded awaiting sentence, and the fact that he had no antecedents, as mitigating factors.
Apart from sentencing, the Court ordered that the convict be registered for counselling sessions tailored for sex offenders.
Before concluding the proceedings, Justice Barlow cited complaints from the probation report of threats the convict’s sister has been making to the complainant.
Justice Barlow said that this was in no way used against Laud, whom she says has no control over what his sister does, but did call upon the Prosecution to take steps to ensure that the complaint is thoroughly investigated by the police and all other relevant authorities.
Against this background, the judge also admonished the child’s court-support personnel, counsellor and the probation officer to all be alert, given the seeming intimidating nature of the messages.
The judge said that added to this new allegation, the complainant still has to deal with the abuse she has suffered, and so needs all the support she can get.
Following hours of deliberations on March 1st a jury unanimously convicted Laud on two counts of the charge of rape of a child under 16 years.
The charges are that he raped the child between March 1st and 31st, 2015 when she was eight years old; and then again between August 1st and 31st of 2017 when she was 10.
Laud was 26 years old when he first abused the child.
The prosecution’s facts in relation to the first count are that the accused had lured the child who was known to him, to his home, under the pretext of having something to give to her.
While in the house, Laud took the child to his room where he raped her, and then sent her home to “wash up.”
The state’s case is that the abuse which at times included oral sex, continued until August of 2017.
The court had heard that on all occasions, Laud’s wife and children were not at home.
The trial proceedings were held in-camera at the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown.
