‘Selfish and barbaric’ – youth jailed for 62 years for rape of minor, two others

A Probation Officer described 22-year-old Leon Jordan as “selfish and barbaric” after hearing the horror stories from three women, including a minor, who were brutalised and raped between 2012 and 2016.

On June 12, Jordan, a horse cart operator of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara (WCD) had pleaded guilty to the three rape charges before Justice Brassington Reynolds at the Demerara High Court.

He was sentenced to 12 years jail for raping a 7-year-old girl on February 2, 2012, while holding her at knifepoint; 15 years jail raping a 14-year-old girl on January 13, 2016, and 35 years jail for raping a 24-year-old woman on October 25, 2016.

These sentences will run consecutively which means that he will spend 62 years imprisonment.

For the rape of the 24-year-old, the victim told the court that she was waiting on transportation to go to work when Jordan told her something was wrong at her house and so she turned back after which he attacked and dragged her into a busy area where he committed the heinous crime.

The victim put up a fight but Jordan bit off one of her eyelids. The woman was hospitalized for five days and had to undergo several rounds of corrective surgery in order to save her eyesight.

The victim, who is now 27-years-old told the court, “I screamed that day for help and no one came to my rescue but God. I saw death as I felt myself walking into my death. As I said the Lord’s prayer I heard the defendant say to shut up.”

The victim explained that she was raped by Jordan six months after getting married.

As it relates to the rape of the 7-year-old, Jordan also lured and dragged her into a bushy area where he held the knife to her neck during the rape.

For the rape of the 14-year-old, Jordan attacked her with an icepick and raped her in a busy area as well.

“I felt bad that a terrible thing had happened to me, I used to work very well in school but had to miss school a lot because of being in the hospital,” the 14-year-old victim said in her statement to the court.

Jordan was represented by Attorney-at-law Maxwell McKay while the State was represented by prosecutors Seeta Bishundial and Abigail Gibbs.

Probation Officer, Zola Cameron- Lubel told the court that Jordan’s mother described him as a “good boy” who associates with drug users.

The court was told the Jordan attends the psychiatric clinic.

Jordan sat emotionless in the prisoner’s dock as he listened to everything that was said in court.

Justice Reynolds said to him: “I don’t know if you have any feelings. You are less of a human being which you ought to be.”

He will be eligible for parole after serving 30 of his 62 years.