La Horquetta man must register as sex offender for assault on 8-year-old girl

A MAN from La Horquetta who was caught red-handed sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl when he was a teenager in 2010 has been ordered to register as a sex offender on the National Sex Offender Registry after he serves his seven-year sentence for the crime.

Justice Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo sentenced him on June 27.

At the time, the man was 17 and was a good friend of the victim's brother and a neighbour of the family.

On June 24, a jury found him guilty.

After sentencing the man, Waterman-Latchoo ordered him to report to the police seven days after his release from prison to register as a sex offender. He was also ordered to report as a sex offender for six years every four months, starting on the date he registers at the police station.

Waterman-Latchoo also ordered the registrar of the Supreme Court to send the man’s name and relevant information to the Commissioner of Police for publication on the Public Sex Offender website.

The offence took place place on April 10, 2010.

On the day of the incident, the girl was playing football with her cousin and the teenage boy in her yard, and decided to go into her house for a drink of water. He followed her inside.

At the time, the child's grandmother, brother and brother-in-law were in other rooms.

While in the kitchen, the teenage boy removed the girl's pants and underwear, held her down and began performing a sexual act on her, while covering her mouth with one hand.

As the girl began crying and trying to push him off, her brother-in-law walked into the kitchen and caught him in the act.

The teen confessed to his aunt, his mother and police, but pleaded not guilty when the matter came up for trial, denying he had committed the assault.

In his defence, he claimed he was in the kitchen with the girl, helping her get a cup of water, when the cup fell to the ground.

It was when he bent in front of her to pick up the cup that her brother-in-law walked in at the same time, he claimed in his defence. The man also claimed the lights were off, so he did not know the girl was naked in front of him.