A WESTMORELAND MAN who told the police that the devil got into him and caused him to rape a young woman, has lost his appeal against his 12 year prison sentence for rape.
Ricardo Paulwell, 36, vendor, of Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, had pleaded guilty in May 2004 to the rape charge. He had reportedly lured the woman to his house under the guise that he could get a job for her.
He appealed against the sentence on the ground that it was manifestly excessive but the Court of Appeal said that a man who "tricks a woman, assaults and rapes her must be severely punished."
Application form
The complainant went to Paulwell's house on April 6, 2004 to fill out a job application form. While she was filling out the form Paulwell dragged her into a room, punched her and then raped her. The complainant saw Paulwell three days later and pointed him out to the police. When he was arrested he told the police that he was sorry he raped her "but it come in like the devil get into me".
Paulwell pleaded guilty to the rape charge on May 25, 2004 and was sentenced on May 27, 2004.
The court, in dismissing the appeal spoke out against the large number of "bad men "in the county and queried what was it that made badness the preferable route. "Here is a fellow with seven 'O' levels and two 'A' levels and he chose this kind of badness," one of the judges said as he referred to Paulwell's educational background.
Do
you have a problem? Is something bothering
you? Write to