‘Predator’ sentenced to 8 years in prison

Describing Paul Vincent as a predator from whom women and children needed to be protected, a High Court judge yesterday sentenced him to eight years in prison. Vincent, 33, of La Brea Trace, Siparia, was convicted two weeks ago by a San Fernando jury of assaulting a woman with intent to rob her and indecently assaulting her in Siparia on April 16, 2005.

He is also charged with murdering 16-year-old Pixie Lackhan and her aunt Taramatie Toolsie in 2005. Those matters are still pending. In passing sentence yesterday, San Fernando First Assizes judge Malcolm Holdip said there was a prevalence of incidents involving men attacking women and girls.

“There is certainly a prevalence of these attacks in our society which indicates a level of anger...You threatened to kill her if she did not shut her mouth,” he told Vincent. “Society needs to protect our women and protect our children. You make yourself one of those predators in society.”

He ordered Vincent to subject himself to anger-management counselling and  to participate in a sex-offenders’ programme in prison. According to testimony, the 31-year-old victim was walking home during the early hours when Vincent held her in a bearhug and choked her. He demanded money and she said she only had $10.

When he tried to grab her bag, the two struggled and fell and Vincent landed on top of  his victim. Vincent then ordered her to remove her clothes. She was crying and praying, but Vincent, who had a knife, told her to shut up or he would kill her. The woman heard someone’s voice and screamed and Vincent ran away.

Vincent’s attorney Michael Rooplal said the accused was remorseful, a practising Roman Catholic, father of an 11-year-old girl and had a common-law wife. Rooplal said Vincent had been in custody since April 2005 and had two previous convictions for larceny in 1997 and indecent assault in 2002, and on both charges he was sentenced to three years in prison.

State attorney Angelica Teelucksingh asked the judge to take into consideration the seriousness of the offence and the need to protect society from like-minded people. Vincent was sentenced to five years on the indecent assault charge and three years on the other charge, but  will serve five years, since the sentences were ordered to run concurrently.