Dear Editor,

I write to express my dismay at the light sentence Supreme Court judge David Fraser handed down to the man who so brutally savaged a young Jamaican girl. Twelve years in jail for the monster – even for the most liberal minds in this country – is an affront to the sense of justice and decency of all well thinking Jamaicans.

That an adult male – a friend of the youngster’s family – known and trusted by a young girl and her family could have abducted and raped her, strangled her, and when he thought she was dead bury the young child then pretend to help her family search for her, is frightening and mind-blowing.

Having scratched her way out of what, for all intent and purposes, was going to be her grave, this young girl managed to find the strength and good sense to survive, only to be savaged again by the courts’ system.

It is shameful and painful. My sympathy and prayers go out to this young child and her family. I wonder if this officer of the court feels that he has adequately dispensed justice to this child. How can he sleep knowing that in 12 short years this monster will be back out in society, perhaps to subject another unsuspecting, innocent young person to this horror.

Why does it seem that our children have such little currency in our country?

Shame on the judge, shame on the other members of the court system who remain silent, shame on all of us who are too uncaring to even make a comment. This child has been permanently damaged by this savage and he will be out in perhaps less than 12 years. If that doesn’t give you a chill, I don’t know what will.

Carmen Clarke

Lady Musgrave Road

Kingston 5

carmenc@flowja.com