Prosecutor urges court to jail man for assault that traumatized woman

A St Joseph man who launched a “terrifying” attack on a woman along one of this island’s roads and dragged her into a banana field with the intention to rape her, must serve time behind bars for his crime.

That submission was made on Tuesday by Crown Counsel Keith Robertson as he told Madam Justice Wanda Blair that a starting sentence of three years in prison would amount to justice being served in the case against Gaggs Hill resident Neilson Ewen Adamson.

Adamson previously pleaded guilty to the June 29, 2018 assault which occurred in his home parish.

On Tuesday, the prosecutor put forward submissions on sentencing, telling the No. 5 Supreme Court that a message must be sent “that what he has done was totally unacceptable”.

Robertson said what was aggravating about the case was the “force” which was used by Adamson, and he also noted that the convicted man had a cutlass during the attack. He further pointed to the victim’s evidence in which she described an unprovoked attack during which she was dragged into a field of bananas and thrown to the ground. She said she tried to escape but was recaptured on her first attempt; however, she eventually got away from Adamson, but not before suffering bruising about her body.

“She endured significant mental trauma due to the unprovoked attack,” Robertson said about the woman who is not a native of Barbados. “This attack left enduring scars on her emotional and mental state.”

“Assault with intent to rape is a very serious offence. It cannot be argued that the prospect of being raped is not a terrifying experience. It is clear that she will remember this incident for the rest of her life. Her sense of safety has been affected . . . . ,” he added.

Robertson said there were no mitigating factors although he noted that Adamson, who has no previous convictions of a similar nature, had been assessed as being at a low risk of reoffending.

A probation report also showed that he had issues with substance abuse which appeared to have affected his mental health.

“It is the Crown’s submission that the offence of assault with intent to rape is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified for what the now convicted man has done.

“The offence for which the convicted man pleaded guilty is by its very nature a violent and sexual crime. And it is our submission that a custodial sentence will be adequate to protect the public . . . ,” Robertson said as he submitted that a starting sentence of three years be imposed.

However, he added, there should be an upward adjustment by a year, given the aggravating features of the case. The prosecutor added that a one-third discount must also be given for Adamson’s guilty plea, taking the sentence back to three years at Dodds.

In his submissions to the court, Adamson apologized for his actions.

“I have no intentions of doing that again. I am very sorry,” he said.

Adamson will return before the High Court on July 26 for sentencing.