FORMER POLICE SERGEANT SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPING MINORS
The Springbok Regional Court has sentenced Calvin Brown(45) former Sergeant in the South African Police Service to life imprisonment after he was convicted on two counts of rape of two minors. The accused was attached to the social crime section and was responsible for children with behavioural problems, whilst employed by the SAPS. The accused was also charged with assault and defeating the ends of justice.
In October 2021, the 17-year-old victim was looking for her father and requested the assistance of the officer as he was a trusted member of the police. The officer accompanied the victim, to the Police Clubhouse looking for her father as it was at alleged that he would be at the club. When they arrived at the clubhouse, the accused raped the victim in the bathroom of the Police Clubhouse.
On 03 June 2023, the 13-year-old victim was from school athletics when she met the accused a well-known police officer within their communities in the Namakwa area. The victim feeling thirsty, requested water from the accused as he was known to children and young people due to his work, who then requested the victim to accompany him to his home. When they arrived at his home, the accused left with his friend to the nearby liquor outlet to buy alcohol. After buying alcohol, he returned to his home, where upon their arrival forced the victim to his room where he raped the victim.
The matter was reported to the police and a case was opened. The accused was arrested and charged with count 1 rape, count 2 rape, count 3, and count 4 defeating the ends of justice. While facing the two counts of rape, he tried to convince a victim to change her statement that it was a false statement by trying to bribe her with gifts.
During the trial, the Regional Court Prosecutor Darryl Bromkamp for the state argued that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence of life imprisonment. That the accused as a member of the South African Police Service being entrusted with working with children, should have known better. That he betrayed the trust of the young children whom he was entrusted to protect as a police officer. The state further argued that the accused should be removed from society. That he showed no remorse as he not only raped one victim but two young children. That rape is a serious offence and tramples on the rights of the victims.
In sentencing, the court found that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence for such crimes. That the accused betrayed the oath of office as a police officer. The court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment on Count 1 the rape of the 13-year-old victim. On Count 2, the rape of the 17-year-old victim, the court sentenced the accused to 10 years of direct imprisonment, and on Count 4 attempting to defeat the ends of justice the accused was sentenced to 5 years of direct imprisonment. The court found the accused not guilty of Count 3, the charge of assault. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently. The accused was declared unsuitable to work with children. His name is to be included in the National Register of Sex Offenders. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The NPA will continue to prosecute these matters that affect the safety and well-being of our communities and to ensure justice for victims of crime by arguing for harsher sentences for the perpetrators.
