Linden man who raped teen girl at knifepoint appeals 13-year jail sentence

A 36-year-old Linden, Region 10 man has lodged an appeal at the Court of Appeal against his 13-year jail sentence for raping a teen girl. In a Notice of Appeal filed by his lawyer Dexter Todd, the convict argues that the jail time is excessive. 

Corwyn Arthur, called “Cross Eye”, was found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl and assaulting her to cause her actual bodily harm.   The incident occurred on December 17, 2013, in Linden. Following a trial before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a jury, he was found guilty on both charges.

The Judge sentenced him to 13 years and six months in jail on the rape charge and 18 months imprisonment on the assault charge. Both sentences will run concurrently.

In relation to the rape charge, the young girl was walking home from a friend’s birthday party one night when she observed a heavily tinted car following her.  

When the car pulled up beside the girl, Arthur, armed with a knife, came out of the vehicle, grabbed her and demanded that she “give me what I want”.

When she refused, he dragged her into some bushes, held her at knifepoint and raped her before escaping with her money and a Blackberry phone.

A report was made to the Police and Arthur was arrested after the girl identified him as the person who raped her. 

However, this sentence will only take effect after he completes serving a previous 15-year-sentence for manslaughter over stabbing a taxi driver to death.

Last year, Arthur was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for May 10, 2018, unlawful killing of his ex-girlfriend’s reputed husband.  Though initially indicted for murder, Arthur opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, admitting that he unlawfully killed 42-year-old taxi driver, Claude De Jonge on May 10, 2018. 

According to reports, De Jonge was in a long-term relationship with a 37-year-old woman who had also reportedly shared a relationship with Arthur. 

Even though Arthur and the woman had broken up, it was reported that they secretly continued seeing each other as he would usually sleepover at her home.  

On the day in question, Arthur visited the woman’s home at Cinderella City, Mackenzie, Linden when he became angered by the presence of De Jonge.

When De Jonge asked him to leave, an argument erupted between them.  Later in the day as De Jonge was sleeping with his partner, Arthur returned to the home where he gained entry through an open window.  

He was armed with a knife which he used to inflict several stab wounds on De Jonge. Following the brutal stabbing, he made good his escape. De Jonge was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was pronounced dead on arrival. 

There is a pending rape charge against Arthur at the Demerara Criminal Assizes.