A HIGH Court judge in sentencing a 74-year-old man yesterday for carnal abuse involving an 11-year-old girl, spoke out against the prevalence of the offence in the country.
Mr. Justice Lennox Campbell made the comments in the case of Clarence Young, painter, of 2B Roshford Avenue, Kingston 2.
The judge pointed out that in most of the Circuit Courts, carnal abuse cases predominated the court list. "It is not unusual for the accused in many of these matters to be very mature men and the complainants very young girls."
He said there was an alarming frequency of carnal abuse cases involving men who worked on public passenger vehicles, an area the authorities should look into.
Young, who was convicted by a Home Circuit Court jury last week Thursday, was given a three-year suspended sentence. The judge said the only reason Young was spared from going to prison was because of the poor state of his health. The judge warned Young that if he were convicted of another offence within three years, he would have to serve the sentence of three years. The court was told that Young suffered from hypertension.
SEXUAL ASSAULT
The Crown, represented by Kenneth Ferguson, Crown Counsel, led evidence that in June 2000 when the complainant was 11 years old, Young called her into his room and sexually assaulted her. The next morning he gave her $200 and told her not to tell anyone because he would get into trouble. On two other occasions during that month, Young had sexual intercourse with the girl. The girl's mother found out on June 13, 2000 and reported the matter to the police.Young, in his defence, denied committing the offences.
