Appeal Court to rule on pensioner’s challenge against child rape conviction

After a very brief hearing on Wednesday, the Court of Appeal announced that it will reserve its decision in the appeal filed by a pensioner against his child rape conviction but promised the ruling will be available in the shortest possible time.

In that case, Collin Cummings, now in his 60s, is seeking to overturn his 2018 conviction and 30-year jail sentence for the offence of rape of a child under 16. This sex offender must serve 25 years of his sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.

 He was tried for the sexual offence by a mixed 12-member jury before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown. Deliberating on Cummings’s appeal are Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud and High Court Judge Jo Ann Barlow.

Cummings was represented by lawyer Tiffany Durant, while Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Dionne Mc Cammon appeared for the State.

The evidence in Cumming’s case revealed that he engaged in sexual penetration with the girl on August 20, 2016, by inserting his fingers into her vagina.

Justice Morris-Ramlall, in her sentencing remarks, had upbraided Cummings for his wrongdoing, telling him that he violated the minor in the worst possible way.

She had told him that he stole the child’s innocence which can never be restored. “Our children must be left alone,” said the Judge as he reprimanded the convict.

 According to the presiding Judge, children should be given toys to play with and not be used as sex objects to fulfill the sexual desires of depraved adults.

Despite the guilty verdict by his peers, Cummings has maintained his innocence and as such, has asked the appellate court to quash the trial court’s decision.