Delon Blake, who on Tuesday pleaded guilty to raping a 77-year-old woman, was yesterday morning sentenced to 20 years behind bars by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Sexual Offences Court.
Blake, 39, admitted to committing the crime against the elderly woman on June 20th, 2017.
In handing down the sentence, Justice Morris-Ramlall said that she had considered the nature and gravity of the offence was committed, as well as the mitigating and aggravating factors.
On the aggravating front, the judge said that the court had taken specific note of the fact that the elderly woman had entertained Blake in her home and had given him a meal, after which he choked and sexually assaulted her, before stealing her cellular phone.
The court recalled, too, that the woman had related the impact the assault has had on her and continues to have on her in a victim impact statement she made, during which she said she felt hurt and ashamed as a result of what was done to her.
In mitigation, however, Justice Morris-Ramlall said that she had also considered that Blake had accepted responsibility for his actions at the first-given opportunity, thus saving the court considerable time in otherwise having to conduct a trial.
The court noted that it had been the convict’s intention to enter his guilty plea to the offence since his preliminary inquiry was being conducted before the Magistrate’s Court.
In all the circumstances, Justice Morris-Ramlall said she considered a sentence of 35 years as being appropriate. From that figure, however, she deducted 12 years for the man’s guilty plea, two years for the time he had been incarcerated awaiting trial and an additional one-year for his remorse.
To the 20-year-sentence, the judge ordered that Blake serves a full 15 years before becoming eligible for parole.
Given the circumstances surrounding the crime, Justice Morris-Ramlall said that it is ideal for the convict to be exposed to counselling, which she ordered to be provided quarterly for the next three years, commencing from October.
Blake was represented by attorney Ravindra Mohabir.
Representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, meanwhile, were state attorneys Tuanna Hardy, Teriq Mohammed and Sarah Martin.
