Senior Reporter
derek.achong@guardian.co.tt
A $15,000 donation to the Rape Crisis Society of T&T has earned a convicted rapist a two-year reduction in his sentence.
Mark Calvahal was convicted at the end of his judge-alone trial earlier this month and was sentenced by High Court Judge Kathy-Ann Waterman-Latchoo to a little under seven years in prison yesterday.
Justice Waterman-Latchoo began with a starting point of 12 years before reducing it by two years because of Calvahal’s donation.
Calvahal had initially offered to pay compensation to the victim but she refused to accept it and asked that it be paid to the NGO, which provides professional counselling to victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
Justice Waterman-Latchoo gave a further two-year discount as Calvahal had a clean criminal record before being charged in 2012.
He was also given a one-year discount as his son, who he is the guardian of, has a serious medical condition.
After deducting the two weeks he spent in prison after being convicted, Calvahal was left with a sentence of six years, 11 months, and two weeks.
As part of his sentence, Calvahal was ordered to report to the Maraval Police Station to register as a sex offender within seven days of his eventual release.
After the initial registration, he must report to the police every three months for six years.
Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher was also directed to publish information relative to his conviction on the public sex offender website.
Calvahal, a 44-year-old construction worker, was accused of attacking the woman, who was a fellow tenant at the apartment building he lived at, on October 5, 2012.
According to the evidence, presented by State prosecutor Dylan Martin, after the woman returned home from work, Calvahal reportedly came to her apartment to discuss some items she had purchased from one of his friends.
The woman told him that his friend had delivered items she did not order and he insisted that they go to the friend’s home to exchange the items.
After completing the transaction, Calvahal told the woman that he wanted to show her a spring in Maraval.
He drove to a dark and desolate area where he claimed the spring was located.
When the woman got out of the car and did not see the spring, she demanded that he take her back home.
He refused and raped her in the car. After being dropped off, the victim reported the attack to the police and was medically examined.
Calvahal was charged after blood from a cut the victim sustained in the attack was found on his car seat and was tested by a forensic analyst.
After Martin finished presenting the State’s case, Calvahal testified in his defence and denied any wrongdoing as he claimed that she consented.
His friend, who the victim purchased the items from, also testified.
Prosecutor Niara Boodan appeared alongside Martin for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
