The quality of mercy is not strained

BARBARA GAYLE

Staff Reporter

A man who sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl has been spared a prison term after the girl's mother begged the judge to have "mercy" on him.

Dwayne Brown, 27, photographer and former member of the Jamaica Defence Force, of Central Avenue, Kingston 10, was instead given a three-year suspended sentence. He is is to be supervised by a probation officer for three years.

Brown, who was charged with carnal abuse, had pleaded guilty last month to the charge. The facts of the case as outlined in the Home Circuit Court were that in July of last year, Brown saw the girl in Kingston and lured her to Central Avenue where he said he had a modelling agency. He told the girl he wanted her to fill out an application form to be a model.

When the girl went to Central Avenue, Brown persuaded her to pose in the nude so he could take pictures of her. The girl agreed and while she was in the nude, Brown sexually assaulted her. The girl reported the matter to the police and Brown was arrested and charged with carnal abuse. After Brown pleaded guilty a social enquiry was ordered for him. When Brown returned to the Home Circuit Court yesterday for sentencing, the complainant's mother asked Miss Justice Kay Beckford to have "mercy" on Brown.

If Brown is convicted of an offence within the next three years he will have to serve the three-year prison term. The judge ordered that Brown must be supervised by a probation officer for three years.

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