Jail time, compensation sought for rape

A prosecutor has proposed a starting sentence of 13 years for a 69-year-old man convicted of raping a woman at knifepoint in her home. She is also seeking $50 000 restitution in addition to jail time. Keith Eric Eversley, of Oak Leaf Villa, Mangrove Plantation, St Philip, was unanimously found guilty by a jury earlier this year of having sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent, or being reckless as to whether she consented, on February 19, 2019. Eversley and the complainant went out together, and he told her he wanted to stay the night as he was tired. She agreed, but during the evening he repeatedly demanded sex, and she refused. During the trial, the court heard evidence that Eversley eventually armed himself with a hammer and a knife and accosted her in front of her son, who was a minor at the time. The boy fetched a crowbar to defend his mother, but Eversley snatched it from him and threatened to harm him. His mother intervened to protect him. Eversley took her into the living room, leaving the child in the bedroom, and sexually assaulted her at knifepoint. Describing rape as an invasion of a person’s dignity and privacy with long-lasting effects on a victim, acting Senior State Counsel Paul Prescod told the No. 4 Supreme Court that the offence had crossed the custodial threshold. He proposed a starting sentence of 13 years. You Might Be Interested In Prescod said there were several aggravating factors for the court to consider, including that Eversley used guile to gain entry to the woman’s home, struck her on the head with a hammer, committed the offence in the sanctity of her home and blamed her for his actions. He submitted that the sentence should therefore be increased by one year. On the issue of compensation, he said: “At the end of the day, no amount of money can solve this violation. However, she can use the funds to get counselling for both her and her son.” Proposing a starting sentence of ten years, defence attorney Rasheed Belgrave pointed out that, while Eversley had a recent conviction, it was for wounding and therefore not of a similar nature. He noted Eversley’s positive pre-sentence report, which assessed him as being at low risk of reoffending, and the shock expressed by people who knew him, who described the offence as “out of character”. Belgrave asked the court to consider the delay in the matter reaching the High Court, his client’s age, and his medical issues. When asked by the court whether she would accept compensation, the complainant requested $50 000. She cited the lingering psychological impact and trauma suffered by both her and her son, along with her loss of earnings from time taken off work. She expressed a preference for Eversley to be both imprisoned and ordered to pay restitution. Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell told Eversley: “In the case that the court is inclined to grant compensation, it will have to be paid up front.” Sentencing is set for next February 12, 2027. (JB)