Man to serve 10 years for sexual activity with child

Mar 31, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

A man is expected to serve 10 years in jail for engaging in sexual activity with a child. Alvin Rudder was found guilty of the offence before Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court yesterday.

Alvin Rudder

“I would like to know how they find me guilty on the first count …. Your honour, I never do it. I know nothing about it your honour,” Rudder, a resident of Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara, told the court yesterday before the sentence was passed.
The man was initially charged with two counts of sexual activity with a child. However after deliberations by the jury yesterday he was found not guilty of one count.
The panel returned proportionate verdicts in relation to both counts of the offence. On the 1st count, the jury returned 11- guilty—1 not guilty and on the second count the verdict was 10- not guilty and 2 guilty.
According to the allegation, the incidents took place on April 9, 2012 and between July 1 and 31, 2013, at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo.
According to the facts of the case, the man took the underage girl to East Bank Essequibo on holiday when the first act was committed. He is said to have placed a rope around the child’s neck and threatened her. He told her that she should not tell anyone or else she would die. The second sexual act was committed in a clump of bushes.
The man had continually denied the allegations throughout the trial.
The case was presented by Attorneys Siand Dhurjon and Tuanna Hardy. Rudder was unrepresented by legal counsel.