Tucville man gets 11 years for raping Venezuelan woman

Jul 01, 2022 News

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Kaieteur News – In his address to the court moments before his sentencing was handed down, Thurston Semple, 38, a taxi-driver of Lot 5A, Tucville Terrace, Georgetown, maintained his innocence, claiming that he did not rape or batter a Venezuelan woman.
Semple’s matter was heard by Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in the Demerara High Court. The case was prosecuted by State Counsel, Nafeeza Baig, Muntaz Ali and Latifah Elliot, while attorney-at-law, Everton Singh-Lammy, represented Semple.

Semple had denied that between February 24 and February 25, 2021, at Tucville, Georgetown, he engaged in sexual penetration with a 30-year-old Venezuelan woman without her consent. He had also denied that on the same day and at the same location, he caused the woman actual bodily harm.
However, on Friday March 25, after two hours of deliberating, a mixed 12-member jury returned with two guilty verdicts, finding Semple guilty of battering and raping the woman who at the time was a sex worker.
Earlier in June, when the matter was called, Semple’s lawyer had requested that a psychiatric evaluation be conducted on his client rather than a psychological evaluation. It should be noted that a psychiatric assessment is more specific, as it focuses on mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. On the other hand, a psychological evaluation looks at attitude, emotions, thoughts, and behaviour.
Justice Sewnarine-Beharry had deferred Semple’s sentencing and ordered that a psychological evaluation be conducted on him. She had also ordered that a probation report be prepared in his favour. During Wednesday’s virtual hearing of the matter, Dr. Menawattie Rajkumar, a forensic physiatrist, attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) reported to the court that based on her evaluation conducted on Semple, she diagnosed him with anti-social personality disorder.
She explained that someone with anti-social personality disorder is unable to accept when they are wrong since they only think they are right, lack empathy and remorse about harming others. She told the court that someone with such disorder often have criminal behaviour.
According to the doctor, Semple gave very detailed information in relation to the crime but calls himself the victim, and blames third party for what occurred. She pointed out that he showed no form of mental illness, just a personality disorder.

Justice Sewnarine-Beharry then asked Semple if he has anything to say before his sentencing was handed down. In his address, Semple lashed out stating: “She [the doctor] asked me to talk the truth and when I did, she telling me I have a disorder when she only talk to me for five minutes.”
He then went on to say that he is facing an injustice since he was seduced by the woman and did not commit any crime or raped anyone before. The convict even verbally attacked his lawyer stating that he never came and visited him in the prison since he has been incarcerated.
The judge then reminded him that he had a chance to lead his defence during the trial and now is not the time for what he was saying. To this, Semple responded, “Whatever you give me, I will accept same way.”
In a plea of mitigation, Semple’s lawyer reminded the court that his client is young, a model prisoner and needs to be assisted medically. The lawyer noted too that his client was physically attacked twice since being incarcerated.
Justice Sewnarine-Beharry then handed Semple an 11 years sentence for the rape charge and four years for the assault charge – his charges will run concurrently. However, she noted that the time he spent on remand must be deducted and ordered that Semple undergo a psychological evaluation at the GPHC.
Kaieteur News had reported that according to the victim, on the February 24, 2021, she was on the corner of Jenny’s Family store in front of the Nova International Hotel, Georgetown when around 22:30 hours, Semple drove up in his vehicle and spoke with her.
He eventually made an agreement with the woman for $10,000 and as such, she left with him and they went to his residence. Upon arrival, she went into his house, sat on his bed and smoked a cigarette. The two then engaged in sexual intercourse. However, during the sexual intercourse, the condom broke, and she replaced it but informed Semple that he only had 15 minutes remaining and if he does not finish within that time, she will leave.
In response, Semple told the victim ‘ok’ and walked into the kitchen and returned with a knife while the woman was getting dressed. He then told her, inter alia, that she is “not going anywhere.” As such, the woman then told Semple to keep the money and she will leave in peace. However, he grabbed her hair, placed the knife to her neck, removed the condom and inserted his penis into her mouth.
The victim recounted that Semple then ordered her to perform oral sex on him and she complied. Sometime after, she stopped, and Semple slapped her. The woman then asked Semple for some water and as he turned his back to get the said water, she scrambled her clothes and jumped through a glass window.
However, Semple ran behind her and grabbed her by her hair. The woman recounted that she was naked when he held onto her and stabbed her. She then managed to hold onto the knife but Semple then armed himself with a plastic tube filled with cement and continued to beat her.
A passerby then stopped and asked Semple what happened and he said, “Nothing.” However, the woman cried out for help, telling the person that she was a prostitute. Two of his neighbours also called out to him to stop and he told the victim no one is going to help her because they are afraid of him and that she is going to be his 24th victim.
The woman then gathered strength and jumped the fence. Semple’s neighbours promptly went to her rescue. The police were subsequently alerted and arrived some time after. The victim was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was examined. When Semple was cautioned by the arresting officer he said, “Officer, I did have sex with her; I pay her for the service, and she refuse to do what I asked and I assaulted her in her face with a PVC pipe.”
Notably, Semple is no stranger to the court and also has similar matters pending before the court. There are media reports of Semple’s past indiscretions. Reports indicate that Semple was charged for allegedly engaging in sexual penetration with a woman without her consent on August 31, 2017, at Quamina Street, Georgetown. Also, on January 12, 2018, Semple was charged for allegedly tying up two sex workers on separate occasions and having sex with them.

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