Berbice man pleads guilty to rape, assault

Anthony Jeffrey

Anthony Jeffrey, 29, also known as “Tony,” has pleaded guilty to one count of rape and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm following a violent attack on a woman in the county of Berbice on March 4, 2024.
Jeffrey appeared at the Berbice High Court on Tuesday before Judge Deborah Kumar-Chetty, where he was represented by Attorney-at-Law Kevin Morgan of the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic under state assignment.

He was charged under Section 333 of the Criminal Law Act for rape and Section 48, Chapter 8:01 of the Criminal Offences Act for engaging in sexual penetration without consent. He also faced a second charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.
According to State Prosecutor Marisa Edwards, the 39-year-old complainant was asleep at her home around 00:30 hrs when she was awakened by a noise at her window. A man later entered her bedroom with a jersey tied around his head to conceal his identity.

The intruder grabbed the woman by the neck, forced her onto the bed and assaulted her. Despite her attempts to escape, she was restrained, beaten and threatened with death, as Jeffrey claimed to have weapons. He then forcibly removed her clothing and raped her.
During the struggle, the assailant’s disguise slipped, allowing the victim to recognise him under the bedroom light. Evidence presented in court revealed that Jeffrey lived nearby and had previously worked at her home.
A neighbour, alerted by the disturbance, intervened and confronted Jeffrey, who fled after a brief scuffle. The victim subsequently sought medical treatment at two hospitals.

Medical reports detailed multiple injuries, including facial and neck trauma consistent with assault, fingerprint impressions around her neck, a vaginal tear, and other marks of violence.
Jeffrey was arrested later that day after police cautioned him about the allegations. Although he initially denied involvement, he later admitted to entering the woman’s bedroom while intoxicated and made further admissions during an audio-video recorded interview.

When the matter was called before the court, Jeffrey pleaded guilty to both charges. The presiding judge reminded him that by pleading guilty, he was waiving his right to a trial.
The court accepted the guilty plea and ordered psychiatric evaluations for both the victim and the accused. A probation report and a prison conduct report on Jeffrey were also requested.
The matter has been adjourned until March 5, 2026, when sentencing will take place. Both the prosecution and defence are expected to present aggravating and mitigating submissions before the final judgement is delivered.