The Court of Appeal orders guilty offender on bail to sentence prison
Kaieteur News – The Court of Appeal has rejected an application by a convicted rapist to have his seven year prison sentence revoked. Instead, Kenrick Morrison, who has been out on bail pending the appeal, was ordered to serve his custodial sentence.
In 2015, Morrison was convicted by a 12-member rape jury.
According to the allegation on February 12, 2013, Morrison engaged in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16.
He was sentenced to seven years in prison by case judge Jo-Ann Barlow. Nevertheless, Morrison had been on bail pending an appeal against the sentence and his conviction.
Yesterday, the Chancellor of the judiciary (s), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who heard the appeal along with Justice Dawn Gregory and Justice Rishi Persaud, ruled that the trial judge did not err in law and that there was no miscarriage of justice.
He then dismissed the appeal and told Morrison to surrender himself to the authorities to impose his sentence.
In 2015, Berbice’s father, two, was sentenced to seven years in prison after a rape case was held in private in the High Court.
In the sentencing, Justice Barlow, who imposed the sentence, condemned Morrison’s behavior and said he was expected to set a good example to others.
Back then, in a plea for relief, Morrison’s lawyer begged the court for mercy, pointing out that this was his client’s first brush with the law and asking the judge to temper justice with mercy.
However, the judge told the accused that the offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Justice Barlow announced the conviction that he would be sentenced to seven years in prison.
She had expressed an expectation that the sentence would deter people who might commit similar crimes.