Young man to be sentenced on three counts, including attempted rape

A bus conductor will be sentenced in April after admitting in the middle of a trial, that he abducted, committed buggery, and attempted to rape a child with special needs.

Kevin Durrant, who was 18 years old at the time of the offence, appeared at High Court #2 on Wednesday February, 22, 2024 before Justice Rickie Burnett to commence his trial after entering a not-guilty plea that on March 1, 2021, at Redemption Sharpes he abducted, committed buggery, and attempted to rape a 17 year old “special needs” child.

But, before the trial commenced, Lawyer Carl Williams informed the judge that he will be recusing himself from the case. Williams, however, remained in court to cross-examine the virtual complainant in Durrant’s stead, to prevent any further trauma.

Although Durrant denied committing the offences, he declined the opportunity to cross-examine the virtual complainant’s neighbour, headteacher, and a medical officer who testified in the trial. This seemed to have annoyed Williams who was seen grumbling to him and gesturing to Durrant each time he chose to remain silent.

The victim’s uncle testified in court that on March 1, 2021, he was at home when his neighbour was shouting his name. After having a discussion, he headed to the victim’s home where he was informed of the incident by the helper. He then asked his niece what had transpired.

“She said she was sent to the shop by…the helper…she said she met this guy and he pulled her in a house and raped her,” the victim’s uncle told the court.

“I then asked her, ‘if you see this guy would you know him’?” he continued, adding that his niece responded in the affirmative.

The uncle said that they both got into his vehicle, drove to the area where the incident occurred, and had his niece point to the house to which she had been taken.

After seeing that the house was closed and no one was in the yard, he drove past it. Upon reaching a junction the virtual complainant declared, “There is the guy uncle.”

“So I shouted and said, ‘young man I would like to have a word with you’, and I asked him to come to the vehicle,” he told the court, adding that his niece was able to identify the perpetrator from among a group of people.

The victim’s uncle said that Durrant hesitated for a short while, then made his way to the vehicle. The uncle said he asked Durrant if he knows the virtual complainant, to which he responded in the affirmative.

When the virtual complainant’s uncle asked Durrant the nature of his relationship with his niece and what he did to her, Durrant responded, “Nothing.” Durrant however admitted to knowing of the virtual complainant’s intellectual disability.

The uncle said that he asked Durrant to come into the vehicle so that he could take him to the police station, and the young man complied. When the uncle asked Durrant why didn’t he run, Durrant responded, “For you to come run behind me?”

When the uncle asked Durrant to come clean, he told the court Durrant said that “he met her and they were talking, and he carried her down in the house, and she went. He said that they start talking and kissing, and he put his hand under clothes…”. The uncle said to the court that he took the young man to the police station and the officers conducted investigations into the matter.

Durrant still chose not to cross-examine the uncle, even after being asked by the judge numerous times if he really had no questions to ask.

When the judge took a short break, counsel Williams went over to Durrant and had a private conversation with him.

After some time, Williams began walking back and forth between his colleagues and Durrant discussing the remaining sentence when a one-third discount is granted, as well as the aggravating and mitigating factors of Durrant’s case. Such factors are only relevant if one chooses to plead guilty to the offence.

However, Durrant refused to budge. Counsel Williams told his colleagues that it seemed that Durrant would rather take the longer custodial sentence than a shorter one.

“I trying hell hard to help he but he ain’t want help,” he said to them.

Just moments before Justice Burnett returned to the courtroom, Williams went back to the box where Durrant was sitting and they had a brief conversation. Williams then approached Senior Crown Counsel, Richie Maitland and told him, “He wants to plead guilty.”

When the court resumed, Maitland informed the judge on the change of events. The charges were read back to Durrant, and he pleaded guilty…guilty…guilty,” to the charges.

The nine-member jury was dismissed, and Durrant was remanded into custody; he will appear in court on April 12, 2024 for sentencing.