Man convicted of sodomising teen girl gets sentence reduction

Paul Abrams, the man sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment for sodomising a 17-year-old girl has had his sentence reduced by five years by the Court of Appeal (CoA) of Guyana.

It was in April 2016 that Abrams, 43, was convicted of buggery and indecent assault, both committed against the girl at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The offences were committed on December 5, 2007.

Following a trial before Justice Jo Ann Barlow, Abrams was found guilty of the offences by a 12-member jury.

The judge sentenced him to 25 years on the buggery charge and four years on the charge of indecent assault.

The judge ordered that two sentences are to be served concurrently. He had shortly after filed an appeal against his convictions and sentence.

On Monday, the CoA led by acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards dismissed Abrams’ appeal against his convictions but allowed his appeal against the 25-year jail time.

That 25-year sentence was reduced to 20 years and was ordered by the CoA to run concurrently with the four-year sentence for indecent assault.

The convicted rapist was credited for time spent in pretrial detention.

It was previously reported that Abrams lured the young girl into a dark room at their workplace and forcefully sodomised her against her will. 

After committing the act, it was reported that Abrams left, and the young girl was later found crying and humming to herself in the room; she could barely walk.

Abrams was represented in the appeal proceedings by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes. Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Dionne McCammon presented the State’s case.

Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud also heard this appeal.