Man who engaged in sexual activity with boy gets reduction in sentence by Court of Appeal

A convicted child rapist has been granted a reduction in his sentence by the Court of Appeal,  which on Monday, found that the life sentences imposed on him by the trial court were excessive.

In 2018, a jury convicted Mark Campbell of engaging in sexual penetration with a young boy twice—in September 2011 and again in July 2013.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the two counts by trial Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall who had been sitting at the Demerara High Court.

Justice Ramlall had ordered that the sentences be served concurrently and that the sex offender become eligible for parole only after serving 30 years.

However, on Monday, the local appellate court ruled that the jail terms imposed by the trial court were excessive and not in keeping with sentencing guidelines stipulated by the country’s apex court, the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

In light of this, the Court of Appeal quashed the life sentences handed down by the trial court and imposed a 20-year prison term on each of the two counts, which are to run concurrently.

Campbell only becomes eligible for parole after serving 15 years behind bars. 

Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Yonette Cummings—Edwards and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud deliberated on the felon’s appeal which was presented by Attorney Ronald Daniels.

During his sentencing hearing before Justice Morris-Ramlall, Campbell had claimed that he was not afforded a fair trial since he was not represented by a lawyer.

Also in 2018, Campbell had appeared before High Court Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a boy; he was five years old.

That incident took place on April 16, 2013.

Like Justice Morris-Ramlall, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry also sentenced him to life imprisonment, ordering further that he is not to be considered eligible for parole until after serving 30 years.

It is not immediately known if Campbell has filed an appeal against the sentence imposed by Justice Sewnarine-Beharry.