(Trinidad Express) Police constable Vishram Ragoo has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for five offences including the 2008 rape of a teenager.
The victim was two months pregnant when some of the offences occurred.
Ragoo, 40, who was found guilty last July of rape, grievous sexual assault, common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and false imprisonment, was sentenced to a total of 43 years for the crimes.
The sentences are to run concurrently. He will therefore serve 18 years in jail.
Justice Carla Browne-Antoine passed the sentence a short while ago before the San Fernando High Court.
She took into consideration the aggravating factors of the offence which included that the victim was then 17 years old, Ragoo was a police officer and in a position of trust and a family friend. The judge found there were no mitigating factors as it pertained to the offence.
The judge also considered the aggravating and mitigating factors of the offender.
She also noted that although Ragoo and the victim were in a sexual relationship since the victim was 14 years old, she was a minor and therefore the relationship was illegal.
Attorney Veona Neale-Munroe represented the State in the matter while Ragoo was represented by Selwyn Ramlal.
Ragoo was charged by Inspector Shaun Craig.
The trial began on May 21 this year and the State led evidence from ten witnesses including the victim.
Ragoo did not take the witness stand but called six witnesses on his behalf including his wife and his ex-wife.
An audio recording of the February 4 2008 grievous sexual assault in Freeport where Ragoo placed his hand into the victim’s private part when she was pregant and the common assault where a knife and gun were used while she was threatened, was played to the jury during the trial.
The teenager lost the baby days after the assault.
