Child rapist gets two life sentences

Mar 28, 2018 Court Stories, News

RAPIST: Sheldon Lynch

Two consecutive life sentences were handed to 46-year-old Sheldon Lynch after he was convicted by a jury yesterday on two counts of rape of a child under 16. Lynch was on trial before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the High Court in Georgetown.
Prosecutors, Seeta Bishundial and Orinthia Schmidt presented indictment for rape against Lynch who was represented by Attorney-at-law Clyde Forde. The offences occurred between December 7, 2010 and January 25, 2013 in Essequibo. On the first count of rape, the jury returned with a unanimous guilty verdict. The jury also returned a unanimous guilty verdict on the second count.
These offences occurred when the girl was a mere 10-years-old. Lynch was sentenced to two-life sentences on each count and only becomes eligible for parole after serving 35 years on each count.
In relation to the third and fourth counts, the jury was unable to arrive at a verdict.
The verdicts as they relate to both counts were in a proportion of eight guilty to four not guilty.
At the announcement of the verdicts, Lynch who was standing in the prisoner’s dock broke down in tears. He fumbled to find words to address the court when he was called upon by the judge to do so. Maintaining his innocence Lynch said, “My honour I am speaking the truth. I did not do anything.”
He then proceeded to tell the court that he was not given a chance to complete his testimony. But his statement was quickly refuted by the Judge who reminded him that the court allowed him to tell his side of the story. Mitigating on behalf of Lynch, Forde said that his client is a father of two who would be deprived of spending time with these children and should he be given an extended incarceration.
The lawyer added, “My respectful plea is for the court to temper justice with mercy.”
Social Worker Renasha Callender, who took a statement of impact from the rape survivor, said that the young girl related that she was raped on several occasions by Lynch.
According to Callender, the young girl said that the convict would rape her when no one was at home and then warned her not to tell anyone. “I feel like my life is hopeless. I feel terrible. After I told the welfare about what he did to me, the children at school would laugh at me,” the young girl confided to Callender.
The Social Worker said that the child told her that as a result of taunting from her peers, she dropped out of school. The rape survivor told Callender that she had contemplated committing suicide whenever she reflected on what was done to her. Callender added that the young girl also told her that she feels afraid whenever she sees Lynch in her village. And that she is also afraid to be in a relationship.
In handing down the sentences, the trial judge took into consideration the nature of the offences and the circumstances under which they were committed. From the victim’s evidence, the judge told Lynch that the young girl trusted him and was also very fond of him. However, the judge said to Lynch that he treated the underage girl like his “woman”. “You violated her trust and took her innocence. You have scarred her for life,” Justice Ramlall said to Lynch, adding that, he showed no remorse for his actions.
The judge continued, “You (Lynch) have not acknowledged that you were found guilty by the jury. You demonstrated no regard for the verdict.”(Feona Morrison)

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