PHILIPSBURG – A former acting prison director in Sint Maarten has been sentenced to ten years in prison after being convicted of repeatedly sexually abusing a girl over several years, beginning when she was just nine years old.
The court found that the abuse continued throughout the victim's childhood until she reached adulthood. In its ruling, the judge determined that the victim's statements were credible and supported by additional evidence, including witness testimony and recorded conversations.
According to the court, the former prison official seriously violated the trust placed in him as a caregiver. Rather than protecting the child, he abused his position of responsibility over an extended period.
The court also criticized the defendant for refusing to accept responsibility for his actions.
In addition to the ten-year prison sentence, the former acting prison director was ordered to pay the victim 50,000 guilders in compensation, plus statutory interest.
The compensation is intended to address the harm suffered by the victim as a result of the prolonged sexual abuse.
The defendant has been in custody since his arrest in February. The time he has already spent in detention will be deducted from his prison sentence.
The court's decision brings a significant stage of the criminal proceedings to a close, although it was not immediately clear whether the convicted man intends to appeal.
The case involved repeated abuse over a prolonged period, with the court placing particular emphasis on the victim's young age when the abuse began and the defendant's betrayal of his responsibilities as a caregiver.