Labourer who raped mother in front of baby jailed for 12 years

May 28, 2014 News

Beesham Gopaul called ‘Thakoor’, the 27-year-old labourer who on May 13 last was found guilty of rape but not guilty of robbery, was yesterday jailed for 12 years. This was following the presentation of a probation report which was ordered by the judge, Justice Brassington Reynolds, and a plea of mitigation by his attorney Charlyn Artiga.

Jailed: Beesham Gopaul

‘Thakoor’ of No 74 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, was on trial in the Berbice High Court.
He committed the offence on June 24, 2008, at No73 Village Corentyne, Berbice on a married mother of two.
The probation was presented by Senior Probation and Social Services Officer Voonashwrie Gopaul. It stated that the man lost both of his parents when he was three years old. He was the only child for his mother, but his father who owned and managed a rice mill had eight other children. Gopaul subsequently went and lived with an elder stepsister and her extended family.
He dropped out of school at the age of eight and began working as a labourer with relatives in the rice industry. He was peeved that he did not get much help during his young age and much interest was not given to his welfare and upbringing.
He has been before the court on a number of occasions – in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013 – for offences of break and enter and simple larceny.
In a plea of mitigation, his lawyer stated that the probation report gave a valuable insight into the upbringing, education and family background of a hapless Gopaul. She mentioned that he lost his parents when he was only three and was not taken care of after that having to leave school at age eight. She begged the court to temper justice with mercy and taken into consideration his unfortunate upbringing without parental or any proper guidance.
She said that at age 27 Gopaul was still young, and she asked that he be given a chance to be rehabilitated so that he could possibly contribute positively to society.
Before passing sentence Justice Reynolds told the prisoner that the crime that he was found guilty of is a serious one. He said that he has taken the contents of the probation report and the plea of mitigation. He however stated that there is hardly a more demeaning offence than rape. He said that the victims are affected in a lot of ways including losing their integrity, their dignity and are most times affected psychologically for the rest of their life.
Taking cognizance of the early tragedies of Gopaul’s life, Justice Reynolds stated that despite all the mitigating circumstances and the fact that no violence was used, he must be firm.
He told Gopaul “You defiled the victim’s body…a mere foot away and in the presence of her infant child, and then, used the child’s napkin to tie the victim and then used it to wipe away the semen after you would have finished enjoying yourself.”
Justice Reynolds also told the accused that it was a shame to have committed such a dastardly act on someone whom he admitted knowing since she was small and travelled in the same Tapir with to school. “You should have been ashamed and should have treated her like a sister. “The judge said.
Justice Reynolds then said that he had 20 years in mind, but would minus five (5) because no violence was used. He would take off another two (2) taking into consideration the early life and unfortunate early upbringing of the accused. Another year was deducted with the mitigating circumstances being considered. He then sentenced Gopaul.
Prosecutor attorney at law Renita Singh had given a detailed outline of the sequence of events in her opening address – how the victim was accosted by the accused; that she knew for over 10 years as ‘Thakoor’ and how he raped her at knifepoint. During the ordeal her hands were tied behind her back with a baby napkin and she was told to lie on the bed.
When the man was finished he left, not before taking her cell phone valued $30,000 and warned her not to holler. He threatened to kill the baby outside if she disobeyed.
She informed her mother who along with her husband accompanied her to the Springlands Police Station. She was later accompanied by the police to the Skeldon Hospital where she was examined and a Medical Certificate issued.
Later the same day she identified the accused at the Springlands Police Station.
During the trial the victim’s mother, a Police detective, Corporal Winston Singh, and Rural Constable Rowena Craig, also testified in the matter.