Assistant pastor guilty of rape of a minor

An assistant pastor has been convicted of raping a girl during the times he took her to the beach, something he had been doing since she was four years old.

On Tuesday, July 14, the jury decided that Delroy ‘Licker’ Fraser, was guilty on three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13, occurring in the years 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Fraser’s wife, his daughter and two stepsons now await his sentencing, which will take place next Thursday, July 23.
During the trial, the 42-year-old man, who is originally from Barrouallie, but lives in Canouan, was represented by lawyer Israel Bruce.

On the other side, crown counsel Karim Nelson and Rose-Ann Richardson presented the case for the prosecution.

The girl who is 11 years old now, took the stand herself. She explained that the molestation took place at a secluded area of the bay, and that the first time it happened was during the evening. She said that when these incidents occurred the assistant pastor’s daughter (a toddler) would be on the shore, while they were in the sea. Fraser could stand where they were in the sea, but she could not. The girl said that she felt upset at these times.

The courtroom heard that Fraser threatened her by saying that if she told anyone something worse would happen.

It was 2017, when she was eight years old, that she told her mother about what would happen at the beach. She received the courage to do so when a sermon at her church was delivered, during which it was said that someone on the pulpit would be exposed.

Her mother cried when she was told what happened. On that night, the mother went to Fraser’s house, and asked him to tell her why she should not lock him up now. She also told his wife, who apparently said that she didn’t believe it.

The next day the church held a meeting with the girl and the pastor, where she said what happened. Fraser apparently responded that he preaches, he speaks in tongues, and lays his hand on people, so how could he do something like this, but he did not look at anyone during the meeting and kept his head down.

There was a lengthy electronic interview by the police that was also in evidence. At the end of the interview, PC Alissa Wright asked him whether one of the commandments was that thou shalt not tell lies, and he responded that it was. Wright asked him if he could sit before God and man and say he never had sexual intercourse with the child, and he responded that he could.

Evidence was also admitted from a medical examination. The doctor testified that the vagina was open, and there was no evidence of a hymen. Old lacerations were also observed. She noted that a healthy vagina of a girl her age would normally be closed.

The assistant pastor had been a friend of the family for over 10 years.