Man sentenced to five months for indecently assault co-worker
A Virgin Gorda resident broke down in tears in the Magistrate Court yesterday when he was told he had to serve time in prison for indecent assault.
Derran Phillip, a 37-year-old St Lucian who has been living in the BVI for seven and a half years, was sentenced to five months imprisonment after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault on a female co-worker.
In delivering the sentence, Magistrate Khadeen Palmer said the maximum penalty for the offences was three years each. However, based on the severity and particular circumstances of Phillip’s case, the starting point for sentencing was 11 months. Magistrate Palmer added that Phillip pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and was therefore entitled to a one-third reduction on his sentence; reducing it to seven months imprisonment.
The Magistrate also said Phillip was compliant and showed good character whilst his matter was before the court, further reducing his sentence by another two months.
In a statement to the court, Phillip apologised to the court and the victim (who was not in court) for what he did. He said he wished there was more leniency with his sentence, adding that he hoped for a suspended sentence since the incident was his first run-in with the law.
He told the court he had no one to take care of him as he had no family in the territory and lived alone. However, Magistrate Palmer told Phillip the leniency he hoped for was already given as he was only serving five months in prison as opposed to the maximum penalty of three years.
In reading a review of the case, the Magistrate said the St Lucian national had assaulted his female co-worker while she was at work. It was said Phillip perpetrated this assault on multiple occasions between July 1 and July 31, 2021.
The court was told that on one occasion, Phillip waited until the co-worker was at work alone before he made his move to assault her. It was said he cornered her and kissed her on the neck. He also placed his tongue in her ear and moved it in a circular motion.
He then pulled her close to him and caressed her bottom. The co-worker had told investigators that the incident traumatised her.
Phillip was taken to lock-up where he awaits a COVID-19 test. Once the test returns a negative result, he will be transported to Her Majesty’s Prison to commence his sentence.
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These things happen way too often in the BVI. Women can’t feel safe in their own homes nor their work place. Why he crying now? Sick ba$+ard need a couple of 2×4 cross his back. I’m so sorry for the lady…we need self defense classes for our women
and like most cases in the bvi she probably was leading him on…. some men just dont know how to hear no after them hear yes
If she said “yes” a million times and “no” one time, it should damn well stand because “no” means just that regardless of how many times one says “yes”.
Five months??????
Is this a joke?
Well ,he will be deported after serving his time, right?…hmmm,if si,so, 5 months means he will be expelled to St Lucia sooner rather than later and that is a good thing.
Deportation means being sent home. That should not be counted as punishment.
To the upde island ,folks, home is tantamount to eternsl damnation.. Never understood that but reasons why they complain and Whine about VI but would prefer Balsum to their loathsome” home sweet home,,”. They dont even want it to be known that they are from updeislun. Strange and sad indeed.
When you serve a certain amount of months or less (not sure if its 6 mths), you will not be deported and you can run for politics (if you’re from here)
we need a formal brothel. not his fault he see a bahna and then went bananas.
I believe that dude had a wife at home when he was assaulting that lady.
I see some women now wearing what look like leggings to work, but that does not give him the right to assault them. HR in the workplace these days accept anything.
Even if a woman comes to work naked, you have no right to touch her.
He ask for leniency and he pleaded GUILTY…This court for who them for. This is going on in plenty work places and I think his case was to set an example for others to put a STOP to what they doing to these young ladies. THANK GOD he will be leaving as he come out of BALO…3 Months or miore….YOUR OUT!!!!!!!! GO ST. LUCIA AND PLANT YOUR BANANA CROPS…SICK DOG!!!
So because he showed leniency in court during his case as he should; this determines his decrease of time served?
so committing a crime is easy then so all I have to do is show remorse in court in order to serve less time.
?
well, I know now!
Wow lol, stop planning to do ill. Stay away from the court.
“he cornered her and kissed her on the neck. He also placed his tongue in her ear and moved it in a circular motion.
He then pulled her close to him and caressed her bottom.
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What the h**l? That was crazy and outrageous conduct on his part and a perfect example of inappropriate behavior towards women.
He should gave known better. Listen up guys: This kind of behavior has never been unacceptable even if men got away with it in the past, and it’s certainly not acceptable in 2021 going on 2022.
He should count his blessings that he only got 5 months in prison for his outrageous conduct rather than 3 years, learn from this, and stop bawling.
He was man enough to assault the victim; he should be man enough to do the time.
Listen up guys: Interested in a woman? Be decent about it. Get to know her as a person before you go sticking your tongue in her ear hole without her consent.
Disgusting.
5 months for an offence of this nature is a sick joke.
Cultural norm
Big man you had need to go and t**s off one instead of thinking that craziness you pull, multiple times I might add, was where it’s at.
She obviously didn’t give you the go ahead the first time, make you got to swoop down again to go try that crap?
Had you gotten a favorable response, she woulda been the one jumping on you, not the other way around. Now you up Ballo, where man going look to do you that with no repercussion. Think smart…but not while you hard.
There in endless woman in the world and you had to play macho man ,an for what ? you don’t been know if it all that , and it don’t worth it
Seems like they have something against men. All of them. That’s how it seems to me following all the female magistrate behaviour towards men..So if he is cooperating and of good character like she the magistrate said, then sending him to prison will destroy that character. How does going to prison help. It does more bad and no good. To Add the Treasury need money and she needs her big salary, Charge the gentle man a fee and put him on probation. .
Don’t you understand that a person was violated? She did not consent to the acts done to her by the defendant. If it was the case that he only paid a fine that would not be just and fair. It is not okay to assault women. Respect her boundaries and respect her honour.
You should have gone to law school or maybe even read a law book. The Magistrate is guided by those books that you cannot even lift up.
Bats both ways…pumpkin out?
Don’t you understand that a person was violated? She did not consent to the acts done to her by the defendant. If it was the case that he only paid a fine that would not be just and fair. It is not okay to assault women. Respect her boundaries and respect her honour.
Any man try this on me, I’m squeezing his balls. No joke.
It’s high time we women make these men know they should think twice about doing crazy stuff.
would your family be working there ??/ AND as for that joker, I hope nthey put you with Mr PUMKIN
This pervert should have been sent to prison for 12 years. It’s all he does while pretending to be a Christian.
St Lucians need to now be on guard for this psychotic pervert.