11-year-old alleges that she was raped when her mother was abroad

An 11-year-old girl, on Wednesday told a nine-member jury that Cornelius “Can” Pierre raped her on two occasions, when her mother was abroad.{{more}}

Pierre, a resident of Barrouallie, is currently on trial at the High Court on two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between June 8 and June 27, 2012.

The girl, who was 10 at the time, told the court that the first time she was allegedly raped, she was sleeping in her bedroom with her brothers and sisters, while Pierre was sleeping in the hallway on the rug.

The girl said her younger brother’s father stayed with them while their mother was away and would stay with them at nights. She, however, said that he did not stay with them the entire time their mother was away.

She said that Pierre also stayed with them until her mother returned.

Relating the first alleged incident, the girl said she awakened from a deep sleep to find herself outside on the rug, where she said Pierre raped her.

She said her T-shirt and underwear were removed during the incident.

The girl said after the attack, Pierre went outside and she urinated before putting her clothes back on and heading back to bed.

She told the court that the following day, Pierre gave her $5 to buy snacks. She said it was not the first time he had given her money.

On the second occasion on which she alleges she was raped, the girl said she and her other siblings were at Pierre’s one bedroom house.

She said she was asleep in his bedroom, when he woke her up.

“He wake me up and tell me go out in the chair. I go in the chair and he put food on the stove to heat. I fall asleep in the chair and after me wake up, I see he go inside, pick up a condom in a pink paper…,” she recounted.

She claimed Pierre then raped her.

The girl said afterwards Pierre offered her food.

Crown Counsel Sejilla McDowall asked the girl why she did not tell anyone what had happened, to which the girl replied:

“Nothing.”

The girl said before the alleged incidents, her relationship with Pierre was not good.

It was not until the child’s mother returned from overseas that the matter was reported to the police.

Pierre’s counsel, Ronald Marks, during cross examination, highlighted several inconsistencies in the girl’s testimony in court, her police statement and her testimony at the Family Court.

The matter continues at the High Court.

Justice Wesley James presides. (KW)