High Court Judge Nicola P. Byer on June 15, 2017 imposed a 2 year suspended sentence on a teenager who had pleaded guilty of engaging in sexual intercourse with a 12 year girl some two years ago. Photo: VINO/File

Guilty of engaging in sexual intercourse with a 12 year girl, the judged imposed a two year suspended sentence on the youth and sternly warned him not to get in any trouble with the law during that period or the suspension would be lifted.

The young man was represented by attorney Ruthilea Maximea, who pleaded with the judge for a non-custodial sentence, stating that the case can be considered as a one-off offence, “when children are eager to explore. Both were children, both naive, both consented,” she told the court.

The man was 17 years old at the time of the offence.

Act was committed behind parked truck

According to the facts in the case, on the day in question the girl, who was 12 year at the time, had invited the offender to her home and during his visit was greeted by the young girl who was dressed in pajamas, at the gate. The two then proceeded to an abandoned lot, where they had sexual intercourse behind a parked truck.

This incident was brought to the attention of the girl’s parent, who was prompt to report it to the police, and the male teenager was charged.

The High Court judge, while handing down the sentence, stated that she did not order immediate incarceration because she believes the circumstances of the offence are ‘exceptional’.

Justice Byer described the accused actions to be parallel with “youth and immaturity”, with one being older than the other.