By Cherisse Sutton
Reporter - SKNVibes.com
~~adz:Right~~(Basseterre; St. Kitts) "All the money you spend behind school girls you can be doing something else with it! Do not appear again before me for anything!"
Those were the words of His Lordship Francis Belle just before he sentenced a man found guilty of Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.
He then ordered him to pay EC$20, 000 in six months or in default, 3-years imprisonment.
The 39-year-old man was found guilty of the act yesterday Monday, Jan. 22, and appeared this morning Jan. 23 for his sentencing.
A few weeks ago after pleading not guilty to two counts of Unlawful Carnal Knowledge he then changed his plea to Guilty when his trial began yesterday.
The man was said to have sex with a girl under the age of fifteen years on two separate occasions in March of 2006 at St. Peters village.
While sitting in the prisoners' dock, the Judge asked him if he had anything to say before his sentence, to which he replied, "I'm begging that you give me a fine or something, 'cause I have a lot to lose if I go to jail.'
~~adz:Left~~"What do you have to lose," asked His Lordship.
"I have a vehicle, a house, three kids, and outstanding debts and I really didn't interfere with 'her," he said.
"What do you mean you didn't interfere with her? Do you know what Unlawful Carnal Knowledge is? She cannot agree to sleep with you - she is under sixteen," Judge Belle said. "The law says she is not old enough to give consent."
"Please your honour, I would not do it again," begged the man who represented himself, moments before he was sentenced with the fine.
