ST. CATHERINE, Jamaica – A 41-year-old Catholic priest will spend more than a decade behind bars following his sentencing in the St. Catherine Circuit Court on Friday. Justice Dale Palmer handed down a 12-year prison term to the clergyman after he was convicted of multiple sexual offenses involving a child.
The court ordered the following sentences for the charges brought against the defendant:
* 12 years for having sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16.
* 5 years for the charge of sexual touching.
The judge ruled that both sentences are to run concurrently, resulting in a total custodial period of 12 years. Under the terms of the sentencing, the priest will not be eligible for parole until he has completed eight years of his term.
Evidence presented during the proceedings revealed that the criminal acts took place between March and April 2023. The victim, who was 12 years old at the time, was assaulted at the priest’s living quarters located on the church grounds.
The illicit activities were eventually uncovered and reported to the police’s Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA). Following a detailed probe by law enforcement, the priest was apprehended and formally charged.







