Sixty-six-year-old George Robin was yesterday sentenced to 19 years behind bars for the rape of a 16-year-old girl.
Justice Brassington Reynolds, who presided over Robin’s trial, told the senior that from all indications, it seemed his libido had been increasing with age, and he therefore needed to be sent to a structured environment where he could reflect on his actions.
According to a probation report presented ahead of the sentencing, while community members described Robin, a father of 12, as a dedicated Christian, he was also known for making inappropriate sexual advances towards young girls—particularly those of school age.
Probation and Social Services Officer Mahesha Granville, by whom the report was read, said that in her interview with several residents of the man’s neighbourhood, it was related to her that Robin would often make perverted remarks towards the young girls.
She said that apart from his contributions to and standing in the community as an active church-goer, his conversations with young ladies were many times of a vulgar and sexual nature.
Granville explained that Robin’s family, however, had a very different description of the man, whom they charcterised as family-oriented and jovial.
She said his wife in particular described him as loving and caring and believed her husband was innocent. The wife also indicated that the case had stained the family and caused them shame and embarrassment.
The probation officer said she was unable to contact the complainant, who has since removed from the address at which she previously resided. However, the girl’s paternal grandmother expressed joy that her granddaughter had finally been able to get justice after the rape, which had left her traumatised.
Granville said that though convicted by a jury of his peers, Robin continued to maintain his innocence, showing absolutely no remorse for his actions.
Notwithstanding this, however, she said that the court needed to adjudicate as it deemed fit by imposing a sentence which would deter potential offenders and send a strong message to society that such acts would not be condoned.
While noting that the young woman continues to receive counselling in hopes of being able to move forward with her life, the probation officer said that children suffer immeasurably from such abuse and must be protected therefrom.
From a victim impact statement, which the young woman’s counsellor, Celeste Mullin said she provided, the court heard of the mixed emotional feelings she experiences.
According to the statement, the young woman spoke of often feeling depressed because of what was done to her by the convict and for which she wanted him to be jailed.
Mullin said the young girl indicated that while she does not know if she ever can, she wants to forget about the incident, as many times she has to grapple with a rush of emotions and flashbacks, which she equated with reliving the ordeal all over again.
Begging for a lenient sentence on his client’s behalf, defence attorney Maxwell McKay asked Justice Reynolds to consider his client’s standing in the community as a dedicated Christian who “generously” contributes to his community and who had no previous brushes with the law.
Additionally, counsel asked the court to consider Robin’s advanced age, even as he added that the senior citizen suffers from diabetes and hypertension.
Just before passing sentence, Justice Reynolds said that it was never an easy task when he has to impose sentence, while noting the he finds that aspect of the proceedings as a painful exercise, particular in Robin’s case because of his age.
Intimating that he, too, was in his 60s, the judge opined that men do not get old, but rather, “our vices leave us.” The judge then explained that it, however, seemed the older Robin got, the stronger his libido also got.
Against this background and having regard to the offence for which Robin was convicted, Justice Reynolds said that the convict need to be sent to a structured environment where he can reflect on his actions. As an ex-serviceman himself, the judge said that he found the offence committed by the convict even more disturbing. McKay had said that over a 10-year period, Robin served in both the Defence and Police forces.
Having been convicted by a jury of his peers, the judge told Robin that it did not help him that he expressed no remorse nor took responsibility for what he had done.
He then explained to an expressionless Robin that the offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, but informed him that having considered all the factors, he would be sentenced to 20 years, from which one year was deducted for mitigating circumstances.
Robin had been unanimously convicted by a jury earlier this month for having committed the sexual assault on the teen. His sentence had, however, been deferred for a probation report.
Following a trial, the 12-member jury returned a unanimous verdict, finding Robin guilty as charged of sexually penetrating the teen on February 6th, 2017.
Given a chance to speak following his conviction on June 12th, the senior citizen sought to ardently profess his innocence, stating repeatedly, “I am not guilty. I am innocent of this. Whatever happen in front of man…God have to judge. I am innocent.”
The case was prosecuted by state counsel Lisa Cave.
