Man Sentenced to 16 Years’ Imprisonment for Child Sexual Abuse
Tue, 2023-04-11
The Bermuda Police Service (BPS) notes the Supreme Court sentencing of 26-year-old Maleke Martin today, Tuesday 11th April 2023, to 16 year’s imprisonment regarding sexual exploitation of a child offences.
Those incidents occurred two years ago and a police investigation commenced.
Following a Supreme Court trial, Mr. Martin was found guilty in December 2022 of two counts of child sexual exploitation and one count of showing offensive material to a child.
At trial, the Special Measures for Child Witnesses in Criminal Cases legislation was utilised for the first time locally, a key provision of the Child Safeguarding (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2019, as outlined by Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs & Constitutional Reform, the Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons, JP, MP, in her Ministerial Statement Monday, 27th February 2023. This new legislation allowed for pre-recorded evidence from the child to be used during trial, instead of the child giving evidence in front of the defendant and a jury.
Specifically, Mr. Martin was sentenced as follows:
1st count – 13½ years’ imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a young person, being a person in trust;
2nd count – 16 years’ imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a young person, being a person in trust;
3rd count – 6 years’ imprisonment for showing abusive images to a young person.
All sentences are to run concurrently and at least half of the 16 years’ imprisonment must be served, before parole eligibility.
Additionally, Mr. Martin will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register and upon release from prison, will have to complete a 15 year supervision order.
The BPS takes our role in child safeguarding seriously, which involves ongoing partnerships with the Government, the judiciary and relevant community organisations to help protect young, vulnerable people.
