Youngster jailed for 16 years for robbery, abduction and rape

A Paul’s Avenue youth will spend the next 16 years of his life behind bars for abducting and raping a woman and leaving her to walk naked through the streets, among other charges.

On August 4, Justice Rickie Burnett handed down four concurrent prison sentences to 21-year-old Bahari Dopwell who had been found guilty on June 26, 2023 at the High Court of rape, abduction, robbery and assault. He had also been charged with buggery but was acquitted on that charge.

The young man was sentenced to 16 years, eight months and 20 days on two counts of robbery; 12 years eight months and 20 days for rape; one year two months and twenty days for abduction; and eight months and 20 days for assault, but will only serve the longest sentence as the sentences will run concurrently.

The charges arose out of an incident that took place on December 15, 2019 when sometime after 11 pm, Dopwell, who was 18 years old at the time, approached a man and a woman who were standing at the bottom of Wilson HIll, in the Paul’s Avenue area. The teenager was wearing a mask and produced an item wrapped in something black, which they thought was a gun.

He then demanded that they hand over their possessions. The man handed over his cellular phone and wallet, but the woman didn’t, prompting Dopwell to grab her phone.

The court heard that Dopwell then sexually assaulted the woman and dragged her to the top of Wilson Hill, then down to the Bishops College old pan yard. In the meantime, her male companion ran away with the intention of seeking the assistance of the police.

Dopwell then ripped off the woman’s clothing and raped her. During this time, he repeatedly threatened to kill her. During the struggle, he slammed her head against a wall causing her actual bodily harm. The woman was eventually able to get hold of Dopwell’s testicles, which she squeezed, causing him to release his hold on her.

She ran to the public road naked and approached a nearby house calling for help, but no one responded. However, an occupant of the next house she approached telephoned the police and provided a garbage bag which she used to wrap around her naked body.

During this time, her male companion returned and approached Dopwell and told him that he recognizes him and threatened to “lock him up.”

He also asked for the phones and wallet. Dopwell handed over one and threw the other phone on the ground. He verbally abused the male victim and threw a stone at him, hitting him on his hand. He then left the scene and went in the direction of his Paul’s Avenue home.

Police later visited the scene and found a torn top belonging to the victim. Her torn tights were discovered in a drain in Paul’s Avenue. Also, during a search of Dopwell’s home the police found underwear belonging to the victim that she was wearing when she was raped.

Justice Burnett told the court that Dopwell attended the Bishops College Kingstown but left when he was in form three. He added that while the young man is in good health, he has heart problems.

He also said the youngster had no previous convictions and that Dopwell claimed that his life became harder when his father died and that his name is usually called in activities because of his associates.

Persons in his community described Dopwell as “well behaved” and “hardworking.”

Prison authorities however, while describing him as hardworking, noted that contacts threw items over the prison wall for him. Also, when his mitigating factors where highlighted, he was deemed to be a man of good character, with no previous convictions, but who lacks maturity.

The rape victim suffered serious phycological harm as she was in fear and her life was threatened.

The offences were committed at a time when Dopwell was on bail for a robbery charge.

Dopwell had spent one year, three months and 10 days on remand and this time was deducted, to arrive at his final sentence.

Dopwell was represented by Counsel Grant Connell while Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Karim Nelson led the prosecution for the Crown.