The Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten has recently handed down sentences to three sex offenders.

S.G.M. has received the highest sentence of six years for the mistreating of his partner and for sexually abusing his two stepchildren. The sentence was made after the court found it proven that M. had mistreated his girlfriend on January 29, 2022.

M. was also found guilty of committing sexual acts with his eight-year-old stepdaughter between January 1 and January 30, 2022, and with another stepdaughter between March 28, 2020, and March 28, 2021. The convict was in a relationship with their mother for about two years.

The court ordered M. to pay damages of US $500 to the mother and $1,400 to her 8-year-old daughter and $4,000 to the 11-year-old. Should he not pay any of these amounts, he will have to spend 124 days in prison, while the obligation to pay will stay.

In another unrelated case, D.E.L. (42) and L.F.L. (40) were both sentenced to four years imprisonment. The court found it proved that D.E.L. had forced the six-year-old son of his partner L.F.L. to tolerate lewd acts.

Instead of intervening to halt the abuse she witnessed, the woman, the mother of the child, filmed her boyfriend’s actions and sent the video to a number of people. 

L.F.L. was sentenced for the possession of child pornography and complicity in lewd acts perpetrated on her minor son.

D.L. was convicted of lewd acts with the boy he is raising as a member of his own family.

The Prosecutor’s Office OM considered sexual offences not just an act against a person, but against society. When these acts are perpetrated against minors, the concern and need for action are even more urgent. For this reason, the OM continues to pursue justice in such cases and urges the community to take care of those who are vulnerable and to report cases of suspected (sexual) offences promptly to the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM.