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Posted: Sunday 20 February, 2011 at 12:14 PM

Troy Hendrickson sentenced to 20 years for unlawful carnal knowledge

Troy Hendrickson on his way to Her Majesty’s Prison
By: Suelika N. Creque, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – “THE court must send a strong, strong signal in these sentences. You will get 20 years…the court is speaking for society,” said His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas during the sentencing hearing of 26-year-old Troy Hendrickson.

     

    Hendrickson was found guilty by a 10-2 divided jury on January 31, 2011 for unlawfully and carnally having sex with a 12-year-old girl in Bourryeau Village on February 12, 2009.

     

    At his sentencing hearing on Thursday (Feb. 17), Justice Thomas said he has considered the age of the victim, the fact that she was Hendrickson’s relative and his disregard for the crime.

     

    Thomas said that, according to the social inquiry report, when Hendrickson was asked about the crime and his conviction he said, “I do not know what happen, one time I was in my garden and they told me I am guilty…one time her mother wanted to beat up my girlfriend.”

     

    “It seems to me like you want to manipulate the court’s power with your apology. If there’s remorse it should have been relayed before the 99th hour. I am telling you straight up…I did not accept any apology,” Thomas said.

     

    Hendrickson, who was represented by Barrister-at-Law Vincent Warner, had read a letter of apology for the crime he committed.
    “I wish to say to this honourable court that I apologise and I am very sorry for what I have done. I apologise to the victim and for any embarrassment caused by the act,” he said.

     

    Warner also presented a number of character witnesses who spoke on behalf of Hendrickson.

     

    His mother, Victoria Richards, said Hendrickson is her firstborn and that they were brought up in a poor environment, adding that they would have misunderstandings but they would come together as a family and work out their problems.

     

    Richards said that her son would go to work, return home and look for his child or go on his farm.

     

    She told the court that he has a child who would be two years old in May and another one soon to be born.

     

    His father, Crafton Richards, also said that Hendrickson is not a rude child and does not wish to see him go to jail, while his employer, Daniel ‘Rufus’ Henry of St. Paul’s, said Hendrickson was a diligent, respectful and an obedient employee.

     

    Henry said that Hendrickson was employed within the Parks and Beaches Unit of the Ministry of Health. He explained that Hendrickson started working there in 2004 and was appointed foreman two years later.

     

    “He’s very responsible and I have never had to take any disciplinary action against him. I was very surprised when I learnt of the crime and I would not like to see him go to jail, because I will lose a valuable worker,” Henry said.

     

    Warner told the court that his client, who is also a farmer, has no previous record and it was unfortunate that he had sex with the underage girl.

     

    “I do not wish to downplay the seriousness of the offence, but with more education and rational thinking he should have said she was an impressionable young girl and it was wrong,” Warner said.

     

    He told the court that his parents outlined good character traits in Hendrickson and asked that his Lordship not impose a prison sentence but rather a bond with strict conditions or a fine, because he has a child already and another on its way.

     

    His Lordship however disregarded the lawyer’s pleas, stating, “Wonderful people don’t commit crime, the court does not forget when the victim said that when she saw Troy she walked on the outside of the road. There was a reason for that”.

     

    Hendrickson was also charged with rape; however, that case ended in a hung jury.

     

    During the trial, Warner had called on one witness in defence of his client, who told the court that the accused was in the mountain at the time the incident was said to have occurred.

     

    However, the prosecution countered with six witnesses, including the victim who is now 14 years old, her parents and a doctor, whose evidence contradicted that of Hendrickson’s witness.

     

    The age of consent is 16 years and the maximum sentence for unlawful carnal knowledge with a child under the age of 14 is life imprisonment.

     

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