A 47-year-old man was yesterday found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child and is expected to be sentenced in two weeks.
A 12-member jury yesterday unanimously found Jegede Hodge guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child following two hours of deliberation.
The first count stated that between May 1st and May 31st, 2014, in the county of Demerara, Hodge engaged in sexual activity with a child. It was further alleged that between September 1st and 30th, 2014, he engaged in sexual activity with a thirteen-year-old.
The third count stated that the man between January 21st, 2015 and December 31st, 2015, engaged in sexual activity with a fourteen-year-old. The final charge stated that Hodge between September 1st and 30th, 2017, engaged in sexual activity with a sixteen-year-old.
Following their deliberation, jurors delivered the unanimous verdicts and the victim’s impact statement was presented to the court.
In the statement, which was presented by a social worker, Simone Gaskin, the victim stated that she contemplated suicide following the first act as she thought that it was her fault. The victim noted that she began to cut herself and felt like committing suicide after all of the acts. She stated that the situation has taken a toll on her and though she would have shared what happened to her with her friends, she told them that she would take her own life if they were to tell anyone.
The victim further noted that the assaults would happen all the time and that Hodge would take her to numerous places to have sex with her. In the statement she added that she would beg him to use condoms as she did not want to become pregnant at a young age.
Hodge’s attorney asked that a probation report be prepared before sentencing and noted that he will make his plea in mitigation at the sentencing hearing.
Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall set December 12th for the presentation of the probation report and sentencing.
