ONE-MINUTE READS ... News from across the region

Security guard charged for sexual assault of four-year-old

A 35-year-old security guard is due to appear in a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines court today after he was charged with two counts of indecent assault.

He was arrested after a video surfaced showing a four-year-old girl engaged in a sexual act. The name of the accused is being withheld since publication of his name could help to identify the victim.

Police said that the man has been slapped with two counts of indecent assault of a girl under the age of 15.

He is alleged to have committed the crimes between December 31, 2019 and January 1, 2021 as well as on December 21, 2021, the same day that the video of the child performing the sex act became public.

--------

Early release for Jamaican drug dealer serving 125-year sentence

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has granted clemency to a convicted Jamaican-born drug dealer among 10 immigrants who have "showed remorse and exemplified rehabilitation".

In commuting the sentence of Roger Cole, 55, Hochul noted that he was originally sentenced to 125 years to life in prison, "having been put on trial during the Rockefeller Drug Law era during which extremely lengthy prison sentences were handed down for drug-related convictions".

In 1989 and 1992, Cole was convicted of five counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, and one count each of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree.

His sentence was subsequently reduced on appeal to 85 to 100 years, of which Cole has now served more than 30 years.

"If he were sentenced today, he likely would not have faced such a lengthy sentence," Governor Hochul said.

While incarcerated, she said, Cole earned his General Educational Diploma (GED) and an associate degree, and completed numerous vocational training and certification programs, including legal research and law library management. He also earned a certificate for completing a three-year business course while incarcerated.

"Upon his release, Mr. Cole will be reunited with his mother and other family members in his home country of Jamaica, who will provide housing and help him find employment," Hochul said.

She said the immigrants selected for clemency have "shown a commitment to bettering their communities and themselves, and were carefully selected after a thorough review process".

------

Man charged with killing boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend

Police in Belize have charged a 22-year-old man with the murder of the boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend, who was stabbed to death at her home on Christmas Eve.

Police said that Jorge Anderson Triminio of Valley Community in the Stann Creek District, in the south east region of Belize, had forced his way into the home of his ex-girlfriend who demanded that he leave.

But when he refused to do so, she went to the nearby police booth to report the matter and finding no police officer there, returned home, where her new boyfriend Namid Mesh, 23, had also arrived at the house.

Triminio is reported to have returned to the house, forced his way inside and used a knife which he got from the kitchen to stab Mesh multiple times.

"Mr. Triminio then proceeded to wash the knife in the same home, leaving it behind and fleeing the scene," said Assistant Superintendent of Police, Fitzroy Yearwood, the communications director of the Belize Police Department.

He said the Commissioner of Police has ordered an internal investigation as to why there was no officer on duty at that station at the time and "he believes that if that officer was at his post, we could have prevented this unfortunate incident that led to the taking of the life of Namid Mesh".