Self-proclaimed devout Catholic looks to overturn sentence for rape of girl, 6

Aug 24, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – Michael Abrams, who had told the court in 2017 that he, is a devout Catholic moments before he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a six-year-old girl, has petitioned the Court of Appeal in a bid to overturn convictions and sentences.

Michael Abrams is serving a life sentence.

The matter is presently engaging the attention of acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and Justices of Appeal, Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud, at the Court of Appeal in Kingston.
Through his lawyer, Glen Hanoman, Abrams is contending that, among other things, the verdict is “unreasonable” and that the sentence imposed was “manifestly excessive.”
The convict argues too, that the trial judge failed to put his defence to the jury “fairly and adequately or at all” which he says resulted in a miscarriage of justice.
On December 20, 2017, Abrams was unanimously convicted on the two counts of child rape by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall in the High Court. Before handing down the sentence, the judge noted that the man was not remorseful of his actions; rather he was trying to deny it in the face of all the evidence.
As such, the judge imposed a life sentence with possibility of parole after 35 years, after he was found guilty on two counts of rape committed on a child under the age of 16.
Yet, Abrams expressed shock and maintained his innocence.
The man, who claimed to be a devoted Catholic Church member, told the court that there is no way he could have committed the act, nor would he have ever committed such an offence.
“I will maintain this now and forever,” Abrams told the court.
One charge before Abrams stated, that between January 1, 2013, and January 19, 2013, he engaged in sexual penetration with the girl who was six years old at the time.
The other charge stated that between January 2, and January 19, 2015, he engaged in sexual penetration with the girl who was eight years old.
Kaieteur News understands that on both occasions Abrams had anal sex with the child and inserted his fingers in her vagina.

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