Akeem Richardson and Kandy James pleaded guilty in High Court Tuesday to procuring a thing to be used to procure a miscarriage and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. They both pleaded not guilty to attempting to choke and unlawfully using means with intent to procure a miscarriage.
The two allegedly assaulted a pregnant 17-year-old at Hotel Castle Maria in February 2010, force-feeding her pills of unknown content and otherwise attacking her in an effort to cause her to miscarry, prosecutors said. They are set to return for sentencing Nov. 8. The Crown will determine at a later date whether to pursue the charges to which they pleaded not guilty, Crown Counsel Sarah Benjamin said.
Also on Tuesday, Keith Godwin was sentenced to four years in prison by Justice Indra Hariprashad-Charles after previously pleading guilty to attempting to choke, strangle or asphyxiate his live-in girlfriend. He was also sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The sentences will run concurrently.
Sentencing proceedings for Calvin Rabsatt, 66, who pleaded guilty to raping and indecently assaulting a 15-year-old relative of his wife, were adjourned until Monday after Mr. Rabsatt fell ill as Ms. Hariprashad-Charles was in the midst of issuing her sentence. He was taken from the High Court in an ambulance, after apparently losing consciousness and urinating in the courtroom.
See the Oct. 20, 2011 edition for full coverage.