Vickram Persaud now awaits sentence after a jury yesterday afternoon found him guilty of raping a young woman back in 2009.
Following hours of deliberations, the 12-member panel returned with its unanimous verdict, convicting Persaud of the sexual offence which stated that on June 7th, 2009 he had carnal knowledge of the woman.
Justice Brassington Reynolds has, however, deferred sentencing to facilitate the preparation of a probation report and victim impact statement.
The prosecution’s case is that the complainant was travelling in a boat piloted by Persaud when she observed that he had diverted and was going in a direction, other than where her destination should have been.
The court had heard that the young woman began protesting and screaming, but against her will, the accused took her to an unknown creek location which she described as “bushy” and “muddy.”
Prosecutor Sarah Martin who led the state’s case had noted that in tears the accused dragged the young woman atop a hill location which she said they trekked for two hours before finally arriving there.
The young woman had told the court that she tried to loosen the man’s grip, but he threatened to strangle her if she did not stop crying and shouting.
She started to cry and beg for him to not do her anything, the court had been told, but that he instead started to fight with her to take off her clothes.
The prosecutor has detailed that the accused eventually pushed the young woman on the ground while she tried fighting to push him off of her. She said that she held on to her pants so that he could not take it off but he eventually succeeded.
It was at this point the young woman said that her attacker succeeded in sexually penetrating her without her consent.
Persaud was represented by defence attorney Nirvan Singh.
The trial proceedings were held in-camera at the Sexual Offences Court of the High Court in Georgetown.
