[UPDATED] ‘DON’T JAIL MY DAD’

TEARFUL pleas yesterday for a father to be present at his daughter’s wedding on November 24 to walk her down the aisle, failed to convince a judge against sending him to jail.

Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds sent a strong message in the San Fernando High Court as she jailed the 52-year-old man for a year and 11 months. He touched his daughter’s breast twice when she was eight and 11. On another occasion, he attempted to penetrate her.

The three incidents happened 13 years ago in South Trinidad. There was a trial and the daughter, now 24, testified against her father last month.

While he was in jail awaiting sentence, which was handed down yesterday, the daughter went to the Maximum State Prison to look for him. Yesterday, she went back into the witness box to tell Ramsumair-Hinds of her prison visit. She and her father wept for each other, she said, reminding him that her son was asking for his grandfather.

The judge had postponed sentencing for yesterday and wanted to gauge how the assault had affected the victim. The daughter was in primary school when her father first touched her breast. The daughter held up pieces of paper and read for the judge, “It is aching my heart now to see my father go to jail. Everyone wants to know how it affected me. I will be getting married on November 24 and I want my father to be there...13 years have passed. We can’t change the past, but we can make the future better.”

She began to weep in the dock as she told the judge, “He’s my father and if you send him to prison, it will hurt me even further. My son and my father have a very close relationship. He takes him fishing.” The daughter then asked what would she tell her son about his grandfather’s absence from his life. She also said had her mother not left the matrimonial home, she might not have been sexually abused. But Ramsumair-Hinds disagreed, telling the woman her mother could not bear the abuse caused by the father’s addiction to alcohol. “Do not hold your mother responsible for what your father has done. You were just 11 years old.

“Whilst the court appreciates the impact the events had on you and how much you would love for him to be at your wedding, the court has its job to do for the rest of society,” Ramsumair-Hinds said. In fact, she added, the daughter’s visit to the prison was the first time her father had demonstrated remorse.

“And a custodial sentence is not the only reason why a father can’t be at a wedding,” the judge said. She sentenced the man to a year in jail on the first two counts and two years on the second. After 36 days spent in prison are subtracted, he will serve a year and 11 months with hard labour, as the sentences will run concurrently. State attorneys Stacy Lallo-Chong and Josanne Forrester prosecuted. Attorney Renuka Rambhajan defended the father.

This story was originally published with the title "Incestuous dad jailed for 1 yr, 11 mts" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

THE tearful pleas on Wednesday morning for her father to be present at her wedding on November 24, failed to convince a judge not to send him to jail.

A strong message must be sent to father's of like mind, Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds said in the San Fernando High Court, as she jailed a 49-year-old man to a year and 11 months. He touched his daughter's breast twice when she was eight and ten years old and also attempted to penetrate her.

It happened 13 years ago in South Trinidad.

The man was found guilty, but the daughter went into the witness box on Wednesday where she had given evidence last month, to read a letter to the judge. In it, she said that she wanted him to be present for her wedding on November 24. She told the judge that her son was her father's "eye-ball" and, most of all, she forgave him.

The father was, last month, found guilty on three counts of indecent assault.

The girl went on to tell Ramsumair-Hinds that had her mother not left the family's home, she would not have been subjected to sexual abuse by her father.

Ramsumair-Hinds differed, telling the girl that her mom could not bear the abuse due to the accused's addiction to alcohol.

"Do not hold your mother responsible for what your father has done. You were just eight years old. Whilst the court appreciates the impact the events had on you and how much you would love for him to be at your wedding, the court has its' job to do to the rest of society," Ramsumair-Hinds said.

She sentenced him to a year in jail on the first two counts and two years on the second. Minus the 36 days he spent in prison, the father will serve a year and 11 months with hard labour.