Lorna Wade’s abuser sentenced to 5 years…
For more than a decade she suffered severe mental and physical abuse at the hands of her husband, but tonight, justice has been handed down in the Lorna Wade case. This afternoon the accused, forty-five year old Elston Young, appeared before Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh where he was formally arraigned for a second time on charges of attempted murder and use of deadly means of harm. Young pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder, but pled guilty to use of deadly means of harm, on the advice of his court appointed attorney, Dickie Bradley.
We understand tonight that even though Young pled guilty to the attempted murder charge in earlier proceedings, that charge was later withdrawn against him and today’s arraignment was simply a formality.
In a rare change of protocol, Chief Justice Conteh allowed the victim to address the court before sentencing was handed down. Lorna Wade told the court of persistent headaches, loss of vision, seizures, and most recently, regurgitating blood. The defendant was also allowed to speak, telling the court: “She has been my common law wife for twelve years and I am asking the court for mercy. I am sorry. I never meant to do it, but I was jealous.”
Conteh then sentenced Elston Young to five years behind bars. Following the sentencing, we spoke with Lorna Wade about the judgement. She told News Five’s Karla Vernon that she was stunned to learn that three charges, including attempted murder had been dropped against Young. Wade says she is also disappointed with the sentence and tonight is urging other abused women not to suffer in silence.
Lorna Wade, Not Satisfied with Abuser?s Sentence
?They are saying that it is okay for him to just accept grievous harm. What about the attempted murder, what about the maim, what about the breaking and entering? Where is the justice in all that, you know??
Karla Vernon
?How has all of this affected your life and your ability to live normally??
Lorna Wade
?Everyday I go through a series of headaches, lately I?ve been vomiting blood. I go into seizures a lot and I?m not totally healed. Everyday I am getting a little bit better, but I?m not totally healed and I don?t know what the injury will cause after a while, I don?t know how I will end up and I don?t think five years is justice for me.?
Karla Vernon
?Although you?re dissatisfied with the sentence today, what do you want to tell other women who are contemplating any police or court action??
Lorna Wade
?Don?t look at my case and give up. Go forward, and as what I said, we at the Women?s Department, along with myself will fight for them and we want to stop domestic violence.?
Just before midnight on June fourth 2004, Elston Young broke into Wade’s Gabourel Lane home and beat her so severely with a two by four that her skull was exposed. After a lengthy recovery process, Wade says she is still having seizures, has lost the use of one eye, and can no longer smell or taste anything. Since her ordeal, she has become an outspoken advocate for an end to domestic violence. Wade says with the help of the National Women’s Commission she will be appealing the verdict, asking the court to impose a harsher penalty against Young. In a joint press release issued this evening by the Ministry of Human Development, the Women’s Department, and the National Women’s Commission, the organisations objected to today’s proceedings questioning the fact that even though the accused pled guilty to attempted murder on January seventeenth, that charged was changed to grievous harm with the consent of the prosecution.
