A 44-YEAR-OLD construction worker has been convicted of raping a tenant of his St James apartment in 2012.
He was found guilty by Justice Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo after a judge-only trial on December 9, and will be sentenced on December 16.
According to the evidence presented at the trial by prosecutor Dylan Martin, the victim returned from work on October 5, 2012, when the accused went over to her apartment to discuss items she ordered from a friend.
He insisted they visit the friend to exchange the wrong items she received. After correcting the order, he convinced her to visit a spring in Maraval.
She had only moved to St James three weeks before and did not know the area but when she got out of the car, she did not find a spring. Instead, she was taken to a dark, lonely and bushy area with no houses. She asked the accused to take her home but he raped her in the car. During the ordeal, the victim started to bleed. A forensic analyst tested the car seat and confirmed there was blood.
The victim later went to the police station with a friend and taken to hospital before the accused was charged for rape.
He testified at his trial and also called the friend who they had earlier visited as a witness. The accused maintained the victim consented to have sex with him. This was rejected by the judge.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was also represented by Niara Boodan.
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