80-Year-Old Painter Sentenced to 20 Years for Rape of Minor in Noida
Severe Sentence for Elderly Offender
An 80-year-old painter has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the rape of a minor in Noida, as confirmed by police officials.
According to a spokesperson for the police, the District and Sessions Court in Gautam Buddh Nagar, presided over by an additional sessions and special judge under the POCSO Act, found the accused, Morris Ryder, guilty on Wednesday.
The court not only imposed a 20-year prison term but also levied a fine of ₹50,000. If the fine is not paid, the offender will face an additional year in prison.
Furthermore, the court imposed an additional fine of ₹7,000 under two other sections of the law. The government advocate noted that the painter resided in Sector 46 of Noida and is currently 80 years old. He was accused of committing the crime in 2015 when the victim was just 13 years old.
The allegations state that the painter held the victim captive in his home in Noida and subjected her to 'digital rape' (sexual assault using fingers) and then to actual rape from 2015 to 2022.
The accused is also charged with threatening the victim with a weapon. The court heard testimonies from seven witnesses on behalf of the victim. The victim's statement and recorded lewd conversations of the painter played a crucial role in securing the conviction.
The victim filed a complaint against Ryder at the Sector-39 police station in Noida on May 14, 2022. It was revealed that the painter had a studio in Shimla, where the victim's father was employed.
To facilitate her education, the victim was sent to Noida to stay with the painter. Due to fear, she remained silent about the abuse for nearly seven years until her elder sister visited her on May 13, 2022, and she finally disclosed her ordeal. Following this, they went to the police station to file a complaint, and the victim returned to Shimla after leaving the painter's residence.
The police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and related sections, leading to the arrest of the accused. A charge sheet was filed in court in July 2022.