Man gets 5 years for sexual assault

Deno Balkaran, 47, was found guilty on May 1 by a jury in the San Fernando High Court, of committing two counts of grevious sexual assault and one count of indecent assault on the girl.

Evidence was led by State attorney Angelica Teelucksingh that Balkaran committed the acts on the girl at her home in 2003 and 2004. He had performed oral sex on her and inserted his finger in her vagina.

In passing sentence on Balkaran yesterday, Justice Devon Rampersad described the evidence against him as disturbing.

The judge said that it was the court’s responsibility to deter not only the accused, but other potential offenders from committing such offences.

“There must be an unequivocal message sent, that the court will do anything required of it to protect the most vulnerable members in its society,” Rampersad said.

The victim, the judge said, suffered immeasurable psychological scars. They are scars which she would have to live with for the rest of her life, he added.

Rampersad told the court that in a recent lecture to judges, Commissioner of Prisons John Rougier had informed them that programmes designed to assist sexual offenders were soon to be introduced within the prison system.

Advising Balkaran to take advantage of the programmes, Rampersad said: “Hopefully, there would be some sort of rehabilitation if the accused is truly mindful of conducting himself with dignity and respect in the future.”

Rampersad sentenced Balkaran to five years on each count of grievous sexual assault and two years on the charge of indecent assault.

However, the judge ordered the second five -year and two-year sentences to run concurrently. Balkaran will only serve five years in jail.