A Berbice man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after being found guilty of raping a 12-year-old girl.
Justice Simone Morris handed down the sentence on Wednesday in the Berbice High Court against 37-year-old Robert Campbell. The court heard that the offence was committed on April 30, 2020, in Berbice.
Campbell had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was tried before a 12-member jury.
In a victim impact statement, the complainant told the court that the sexual assault had profoundly affected her life, leaving her with emotional scars and serious trust issues.
Justice Simone Morris initially imposed a 19-year sentence, but reduced it by two years in light of mitigating factors before adding one.
Campbell was ultimately sentenced to 18 years in prison and will only be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 15 years.
The prosecution was led by attorney-at-law Marisa Edwards, while Campbell was represented by attorney-at-law Samantha Brown.
