“You have to count your lucky stars,” Judge to former rape accused

A mixed 12-member jury on Tuesday unanimously delivered a not-guilty verdict for Cliff Semple in the Sexual Offences Court before Justice Brassington Reynolds after being in deliberation for two hours.
It was alleged that on August 9, 2016 in the county of Demerara, Semple engaged in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 years old.
Semple had pleaded not guilty to the offence and had been represented by Attorney Adrian Thompson while the State’s case was presented by Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Sarah Martin.
Justice Reynolds while informing Semple that he was now a free man, admonished him to grasp the second chance given to him and stay clear of future trouble, as he told the former accused that this was the closest he would want to get to a life sentence.
“You have to count your lucky stars; this is the closest you want to get to a life sentence,” the Judge stated.
As such, Semple exited the court a free man while the victim’s relatives seemed unsatisfied with the jury’s decision.