Belmont man guilty of sex attack on girl, 3

A BELMONT man will know his fate next week Thursday in a matter in which he was found guilty of eight sex-related charges stemming from an attack against his three-year-old relative.  Following the verdict by the nine-member jury (seven men and two women), the matter was adjourned and the 21-year-old man was remanded in custody for sentence pending a probation officer’s report.

Jomaine Bowen is before High Court Judge Alice Yorke Soo-Hon in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court charged with four counts of having sex with a female under 14 and four counts of serious indecency stemming from incidents that occurred between August 31, 1997, and May 1, 1998. After hearing the verdict, the man’s mother broke down in tears and had to be consoled by a male relative in the courtroom. On leaving the court, the woman stated that the “jury did not know what they had done by condemning her son to prison life.” She stated that Bowen was a very intelligent young man who had studied hard and passed all his examinations. She pointed out that the entire incident stemmed from family disputes.

The facts presented in the matter by State attorney Cheron Raphael was that sometime between August 31, 1997 and May 1, 1998, the young victim, who is now nine years old, stayed at a relative’s home in Belmont, during which time Bowen had sexual intercourse with her and also had the child perform oral sex on him. Sometime between September 1997 and April 1998, the victim’s mother observed the child itching her private parts and complaining of pains there. The concerned woman took her daughter to several doctors and was given a cream to use on her daughter.

On January 1, 1998, the woman made an observation regarding her child and took her to the Barataria Police Station where a statement was taken from the child. The child was then taken to the Mt Hope Medical Sciences Complex where she was examined and it was found that her hymen was not intact. A medical report also stated that the injury was probably caused by sexual intercourse. Bowen was subsequently arrested and charged with the offences.

In defence, Bowen stated that he could not understand why the child would make such an allegation against him since he loved her, and was the one who took care of her when she visited the home. He also stated that he believed that the allegations stemmed from “bad blood” between his father and the child’s mother. The matter will continue on February 26, when Bowen will be brought before the court for sentencing. Raphael represented the State in the matter, while Bowen was represented by attorneys Gilbert Peterson and Bindra Dolsingh.