A retired Security Officer is now an inmate at the Dominica State Prison (DSP) after he was jailed for having sex with a 14-year-old girl back in 2019.
Brief Facts
Pius Thomas, then aged 57, was a close, trusted friend of the family. He was living in proximity to them, and they would visit each other’s homes. In March of 2019, the child had gone to his home to collect a piece of cheese for her mom, and he then forced her into having sex with him, telling her, “Not to tell anyone.” It was her first time having sex; she bled and went home and showered.
The ordeal continued on a few other occasions, every time she would come to collect some item for her mom. She then reported the matter to her mom, the police were informed, she was taken to be medically examined and found to have a one-centimeter abrasion, and the hymen was gone.
When confronted by the police, he confirmed having sex with her three times but claimed she was the aggressor. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.
Thomas had earlier pleaded “not guilty” to the offence, but on February 19, 2026, changed his plea to “guilty.” A social background conducted by the probation officer found him to be “pro-social” with positive attributes. He admitted to “touching the child but placed the blame on her and did not accept responsibility for his actions.
The report stated that the child is feeling “hurt and betrayed, the mother is hurt since he was like a father figure to the child, and he was a trusted family friend. The child was also reeling from the “traumatic experience, had no counselling, feelings of hurt and resentment, and did not want any apology.
The victim also felt “bad” because Thomas accused her of “lying.”
Sentencing
High Court Judge Sejilla McDowall, before sentencing, told Thomas, who is now aged 64, diabetic, hypertensive, and suffering from glaucoma, that he was “a trusted family friend, a neighbour, a father figure, the child was 14 years, and he was 57, a 43-year difference, and he had breached her trust.”
She gave a starting point of 5 years 6 months as per learning in the Caribbean; the delay was also a major factor since the incident happened in 2019, and she gave no increase or decrease. In mitigating, she stated he was of previously good character, now remorseful and of ill-health. He was not entitled to the 1/3 discount. After further calculations and his 32 days on remand pending sentencing, he was left with 3 years six months, and 12 days.
Thomas then, through his lawyer Glen Ducreay, asked to address the court. “I wish to apologize to the court, the lady, and the child (mother’s name and child withheld). I told Welfare I did not have sex with the child; that’s not true. I was ashamed. I apologize to the nation…I am receiving what I have to receive. I am ashamed of my actions. Thanks to all for your support,” Thomas stated.
The Judge then told him that he provided financial support to the child and her family. “You have broken her; you are ashamed, but she is also ashamed of what you did to her. You were like a father to her; she was vulnerable. You robbed her of her peace of mind and self-worth. She now has to rehabilitate her life. You created a prison in her mind when you traumatized her,” the Judge told him.
She then sentenced him to 3 years, 6 months, 12 days to take effect on March 23, 2026. She also ordered counselling for him with a report to be submitted to the court two weeks after the completion. “If you want to appeal, you have 14 days to do so and must have good grounds to appeal,” she told him.
