Man jailed for sex with a minor

Justice Anthony Carmona told the San Fernando Second High Court that this country had a notorious record of taxi drivers and older men having sex with young girls.

Justice Carmona imposed the custodial sentence on Penal resident Rajesh Teemul who on May 26, was found guilty of having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

In passing sentence, Justice Carmona recalled the victim’s evidence of how she had a secretive three-month relationship with the accused. The judge said the girl testified that on October 15, 2003, she was of the belief that she was going upstairs Teemul’s house to make love and not have sex.

Justice Carmona said after Teemul had sex with the child, she started to bleed profusely. The girl was taken to San Fernando General Hospital where she underwent surgery. The judge said that while the girl consented to having sex, consent was not a defence for sexual assault of a minor. The judge recalled that the jury rejected Teemul’s claim that the girl had told him that she was over 16-years-old.