Man gets 10 years, 5 strokes for rape

HIGH COURT Judge Herbert Volney yesterday expressed regret that the cat-o-nine tail is no longer used to punish persons convicted of rape since strokes with the cat-o-nine was an appropriate form of punishment for felons found guilty of rape. Justice Volney made this remark after sentencing Morvant resident Nicholas Leotaud to two ten-year sentences for kidnapping and raping a 22-year-old woman from his area in July 2000. In addition, Justice Volney ordered that Leotaud receive five strokes with the birch for the rape conviction. The judge ordered that the sentences run concurrently. In passing judgment, Justice Volney stated that while the crime itself was violent, the fact that Leotaud used violence against his victim to submit to his intentions made matters worse.

The facts presented by State attorney Cheron Raphael to the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court stated that on July 1, 2000 around 4.30 am, the victim was awaiting transportation to get to Morvant when she was approached by Leotaud. She did not know him at the time, however, he attempted to strike a conversation with her. She entered a taxi and he followed her into the vehicle. The driver asked them where they were stopping off and the woman informed him that she was stopping by the “Pepsi sign,” however Loetaud told the driver, “Don’t take her on, we are dropping Mon Repos.” Following Leotaud’s instructions, the driver passed the Pepsi sign and stopped at Mon Repos junction where Leotaud paid the fare and alighted the vehicle. He then held onto the woman’s hand and started to pull her out of the car. She held onto the driver’s seat and the front seat passenger started to curse saying that he was late for work.

The driver then told the woman to get out of the car, which she did. When she alighted the car, Leotaud picked her up and ran down a track to a house. At the house, he proceeded to beat and rape her. After a while, Leotaud fell asleep and the woman quietly changed her clothes and left the house. She went to the Morvant Police Station where she made a report. In passing sentence yesterday, the judge informed Leotaud that although he was not going to be using him as an example, he was going to impose a sentence that would deter him and others who may be thinking about committing similar offences.