Man gets 2½ year jail term for ‘prostitute’ attack
Walter Jordan McLaughlin
(CNS): A local man who was found not guilty of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman after the jury believed his defence that she was a prostitute was jailed for two and a half years on Monday for robbing and assaulting the woman. Walter Jordan McLaughlin had been acquitted by a jury of abducting and sexually assaulting her but he was found guilty of assaulting and taking the victim’s possessions by force. The woman had denied being a sex worker but the judge accepted the jury must have believed McLaughlin, however he said the woman was still subjected to a violent and frightening attack.
Justice Michael Mettyear said that McLaughlin’s conduct was “despicable”, as he pointed to the frightening early morning assault in a secluded location that the woman endured and the threats McLaughlin made to kill her and throw her body in the water.
The judge also said that as he observed the woman testifying that she wet herself because she was so frightened, it was clear she was “acutely embarrassed” about making such an admission but was genuinely frightened by McLaughlin.
He also pointed to the evidence of the two garbage collectors who had rescued her from the ordeal and taken her home. They had described her as running into the path of their truck, barefoot and terrified, asking for help because a man was threatening to kill her. The judge added that she had run “into the arms of strangers” because she was so afraid.
The judge said that when she fled she abandoned her possessions, which not only had monetary value but her gold wedding band and engagement ring, which McLaughlin took, were of great sentimental value as well. McLaughlin claimed to have thrown the items away as she had left them in his car but they have never been recovered and the judge said he did not believe McLaughlin had simply discarded them but had probably sold them on.
“The defendant’s conduct was despicable,” the judge stated, adding that the incident represented a “disgraceful and terrifying offence”, as he handed down the two-and-a-half-year term, which was at the higher end of the sentencing guidelines for the category of offence on which he was convicted.
McLaughlin had denied all of the allegations and claimed that he had paid for sex with the woman on previous occasions but on the night they argued about the money because at the time he had no cash to pay her. He denied being violent and accused her of being the one that was violent towards him and said she had stormed off leaving all of her valuable as well as her shoes in his car.
I hope he uses his time in HMP to get the counseling and anger mgmt therapy he desperately needs!
Sure hope she seeks counseling too as this incident will haunt her if she doesn’t!
Really sad though that there is such sexual deprivation here. Our responsibility is to teach our boys and girls; our children how to value the opposite sex and how to show care, compassion and respect for self and others!
Only then will we see a change!
Am saddened to read this…….heartbreaking for both familie as they all have others who care for them!
Crime never pays and we need to enforce the impact negative behaviour has on all……..perpretrator/victim/society; because we, the public now are footing his bill of $75,000.00 per year plus all the Court expenses and in the end all we have for that money spent is :- (1) Him – a Police Record which will keep him fr employment and travel and (2) Her – broken and needing counseling!
We are under attack with sexual perversions, we read of the nasty acts now on a daily basis XXXX! Yes sexual perversion is rampant here!
We best take our heads outta the sand and BREAK THESE GENERATIONAL CURSES and throw them in the depths of the seas!
Will continue to pray and advocate for change as it is now evidnet for all and sundry that CHANGE MUST COME!
Let’s all work to make the “change we wish to see” starting with teaching our children their value and that my friends starts @ HOME……..even if a single parent home!
Let’s start teaching our children their value and in doing so give them self-respect
Jury made a poor decision with this one. No evidence was introduced that she was a prostitute! Taking a career criminals word for it seems somehow wrong!
2 1/2 years are not enough for that scumbag, however it’s a start. He might get off lightly because all the charges did not stick but when karma get to him, her justice will hold on like Velcro. Just wait scumbag one day at a time….. Sooner or later the universe will serve you the revenge that you deserve. After all she is someone’s daughter, whatever she has done or did with you if there’s any truth to it still remains No, is No!
Shame on you CNS. Even though the word to describe this young female is in quotation marks, it is still insulting. Even if that were so, she still was the victim of a crime simple
Prostitution is illegal
Yet fruitful.
Tainted apple is the worst.
She wasn’t on trial. Aside from that we only have his word to that end. So does your thinking mean that it is ok to commit acts of violence against her? I am genuinely confused about your comment
Sadly it looks like she was … the jury made a bad mistake making him go free on those charges IMHO!
As is trying to kill people
Actually, prostitution is legal in Cayman. Living off the earnings of a prostitute, or pimping, is illegal, but paying/receiving money in return for sex is NOT listed as illegal in ANY Cayman Islands law.
How can I get a work permit for that?
and beyond that the reporting of her physical manifestation of fear in front of the judge is unnecessary and demeaning
Cannot believe a jury let this sexual predator go on those charges! WOW …
The jury let him go because they feel he was not guilty, people avt as if the jurors were handicapped.
It looks like it if you commit this kind of crime Cayman you only get a slap on the wrist. Whether or not she was a prostitute is not on trial. He kidnapped and sexual assaulted this woman. She said no, NO MEANS NO.
Why would anyone take a photo of his head in a coconut palm crown , says it all .
He obviously took the picture, brightey.
Gross guy. I don’t care what the woman had agreed to in the past, he is despicable and not a man. A$$hole.
This animal should have been given 5 years at least, how could the jury believe anything he said?.
Why would the jury believe a liar
What every she or another does to feed her or their family in the poverty stricken country they are from doesn’t deserve the constant belittlement form the average Caymanian male that patronizes those local bars. These women are children, sisters and mothers and deserve respect. Most every Caymanian male that sees them thing they are whores. Show your ignorance in jail mate! It should have been 5-7 years for rape
This lady is blessed that the garbage collectors were at the right place at the right time. I trust she makes much better decisions going forwards. I also trust that this young man uses his time in prison wisely to a) reflect on his life and b) make a change by opting for therapy. Not that there is no truth to his side of the story, but often times young men will go to prison, refuses or disregards therapy to deal with their situation, and after their time have expired noticeably their behavior escalates to a whole different level. It goes without saying, turn away from wrong doings, think positive and a brighter tomorrow will be yours.
“She makes better decisions” do you now see how that blames the victim?
If I choose to swim in shark infested waters, I will be the victim of a shark bite most likely, but I was also the one that made the choice to put myself there.
this sick old and young guys they make me so sick…. but rape kidnapping…. they only gets a medal for it. look at what happen in 2010 when those criminals kidnaped a young man. they only got 5 years. one of those got 3 years and is here on the island. but God know what to do with those people. letter of apologies not accepted. take to the gate of heaven.
I guess now his family can brag about him. Rapist and pshyco he deserves more time