(Trinidad Express) Confessed bigamist Dexter Alexander yesterday called for help for other men who may find themselves married to more than one woman at the same time.
“I hope something can be put in place for young men struggling in life for guidance, so they won’t make the same mistake like I did,” said Alexander, who was ordered to pay his second wife TT$10,000.
At the last court hearing, Alexander blamed the church for him marrying a second time without divorcing his first wife.
He was charged in 2003 with entering into a union with Rhonda Alicia Forbes, during the lifetime of his wife Debra Mitchell.
Alexander, 47, wed Forbes on October 26, 1996, seven years after he tied the knot with Mitchell, on August 23, 1989.
But defence attorney Carol Foderingham said it was the whispers and the unhappiness of the pastor of the church that led to Alexander’s second union.
She also said her client was ill-advised on marrying again.
Alexander apologised to Forbes before the court at his last court appearance, when he changed his plea to guilty.
Yesterday, he again said he was remorseful and also apologised to the public.
The court also heard Alexander was a choir master at his church, a youth group leader, taught maths and English to underprivileged children and also was a mentor to young men in San Juan.
A pool of potential jurors were in court and trial Judge Anthony Carmona, presiding in the San Fernando High Court, told Alexander he had courage and strength to have publicly indicated his remorse before a packed courtroom.
But the judge also chastised Alexander for his actions, telling him marriage was a sacred institution.
“It must be emphasised that bigamy is a crime that attempts to bring the institution of marriage into disrepute. … The institution of marriage must not be subjected to mockery. … It represents one of the bedrocks of any civil society … (It) can’t be toyed with,” he said.
Carmona said had there been evidence Forbes had agreed to marry Alexander after being tricked, he could have been charged with rape.
It was the State’s case that Forbes knew Alexander for 11 months before their marriage and the couple received counselling prior to their wedding day.
The ceremony was conducted at Lachoos Road, Penal, by Pastor Peter Francis and the marriage was registered.
State attorney Jennifer Martin, instructed by Chris Ramlal, said it was an argument between Alexander and his sister that led Forbes to have the marriage annulled.
PC Kenneth Morgan investigated and obtained marriage licences on behalf of both parties.
He later met Alexander and his attorney at the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Port of Spain and told him of the offence.
Alexander allegedly told the officer he knew nothing about a marriage in a church but knew about a ceremony in a house.
On August 18, 2003, Alexander, who worked as a security guard and a welder, was charged with bigamy under section 55 of the Offences Against the Person Act.
The maximum sentence for the offence is four years in prison.
But Carmona said he felt Alexander had learnt his lesson having, for the past 16 years, to deal with the prospect of coming to court for the trial. He also said placing him on a bond would have sent the wrong message to society.
He fined Alexander TT$5,000 for the offence.
Carmona said Forbes would have undergone significant emotional trauma and damage to her self-esteem when she found out her marriage was a sham.
Alexander was ordered to compensate her with TT$10,000.
He was given until September 30 to pay.
