Rapist to learn of his fate today

Clifton Rodney, of New Prospect, will know his fate today when he is to be sentenced on two counts of rape, grievous bodily harm and wounding.{{more}}

Rodney, who was jointly charged with three others in the matters, changed his plea to guilty to each charge in the matter involving the attack on two Florida teenagers at La Soufriere on May 30, 2006.

Appearing along with Clifton, co-accused 26-year-old Leroy Rodney maintained his plea of not guilty on all charges and was further remanded in custody.

On June 29 last year, Junior Garfield Morgan, 19, of New Prospect, and Nyron Morgan, 25, were sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to the charges in the same matter.

The Court heard that the teenagers and their parents were on a hike to La Soufriere during the family’s visit to St. Vincent in 2006. During the hike, the girls, 14 and 17 years old at the time, decided that they could not go any further up the mountain. So, along with their mother, they returned to the Soufriere “river bed” to await the others who had continued on the hike.

While the family members were having their meal, four men, who were reportedly smoking and talking appeared on the scene. It was heard that the 14-year-old was grabbed by her neck from behind and dragged into some nearby bushes. The other teenager, the Court heard kicked and screamed as she was raped. The mother, who attempted to fight off the men who were armed with a handgun, was beaten about her body repeatedly. After completing their acts the men fled and the woman her two children hid in some bushes until help came. The men were caught that same day in New Prospect.

In a statement given to the police by Clifton Rodney, who was 17 at the time of the incident, he stated that he, along with Leroy, Nyron and Junior saw the girls and their mother sitting with their backs towards them eating rotis. Rodney said he saw Nyron take a gun out of the bag and fire three shots in the air. He said Nyron asked, “Who ready fo act up?” He added that he tried to hold on to one of the girls, but she got away, and was held again. Clifton said it was not until about thirty minutes later that the men returned from the bushes with one of the girls.

As the facts in the matter were being revealed, the dreadlocked lad stood in the dock with a blank look on his face with his hands formed in the Rastafarian sign of “peace.”

At the end of the Preliminary Inquiry, Rodney (Clifton) had pleaded guilty, but later withdrew his plea.

Attorney for Rodney, Bertram Stapleton, requested a short adjournment until Friday. (KW)