The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal Thursday reduced the 15-year jail term imposed on former Montserrat chief minister, David Brandt, who had been jailed in 2021 after being found guilty on seven counts of sexually exploiting girls under the age of 18 and one count of perverting the course of justice.
The case against the prominent attorney dates back to September 18, 2015, when Brandt was initially arrested and charged with one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor in 2010.
In 2015, he was charged with conspiracy to have sex with a minor due to developments that took place between April and September of 2015.
Brandt had always maintained his innocence and said that ‘my day in court will show that is the case, and that I am innocent. These allegations that have been brought against me are totally false.’
But, in November 2018, Brandt, who served as chief minister from 1997-2001, was taken into custody by local police assisted by members of the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and several charges were laid against him ,including two counts of child sexual exploitation and one count of perverting the course of justice.
Brandt appealed all seven sexual exploitation convictions, and both the conviction and sentence relating to the charge of perverting the course of justice, in September.
The Appeal Court upheld three of the sexual exploitation appeals, but the four other convictions remain in place. The sentences for those remaining convictions still stand, ranging from eight to nine years, and will continue to run concurrently.
But in quashing the sentence for perverting the course of justice, the Court of Appeal ruled that the original 15-year sentence imposed was ‘manifestly excessive’ and it replaced with a four-year sentence. The conviction itself was not overturned.
The Appeal Court that Brandt had already spent time in prison, and taking into account standard reductions, he is expected to remain in custody for at least one more year.
Brandt was represented by attorney Dr David Dorsett, while the prosecution was led by King’s Counsel Annesta Weekes, alongside Director of Public Prosecutions Oris Sullivan.