A psychiatric nurse has been jailed for 12 and a half years after he raped a 16-year-old schoolgirl and suffocate her with a pillow.
Randy Tirbanie, 43, of St Matthew’s Road, St Leonards, was jailed on Friday (27 September) by Judge Martin Huseyin at Lewes Crown Court.
Tirbanie had denied two counts of raping the girl, who is now 17 and cannot be identified by law. He also pleaded not guilty to trying to suffocate her with a pillow.
But a jury took just two hours to convict unanimously of all three charges at the end of a five-day trial at Lewes in August.
Richard Hearnden, prosecuting, told the court that Tirbanie, who worked as a mental health nurse for the NHS, knew the girl and raped her twice at his home on Friday 16 February.
Sussex Police said that the incident was reported to police shortly afterwards and Tirbanie was arrested on the same day.
Mr Hearnden said that Tirbanie was interviewed at a police station where he answered “no comment” to the questions but gave a prepared statement. He said that he didn’t rape the teenager and he didn’t even have sex with her.
The barrister also said that Tirbanie, who came to Britain from Trinidad and Tobago, would not give police the password for his phone, saying that he couldn’t remember it.
He also refused to give consent for an intimate DNA sample to be taken although samples were taken anyway.
Mr Hearnden said that the prosecution case was supported by DNA evidence and the signs of abrasion on the girl’s neck.
Sarah Thorne, defending, said that it was “a distressing case” and “a shocking set of circumstances” involving a man of good character.
Before the jury retired, she questioned the veracity of the girl’s version of events and said: “This appears to have come completely out of the blue. It is one person’s word against another’s.”
After the jury returned guilty verdicts, Judge Huseyin said: “It will be a very long sentence of imprisonment for these offences.”
He jailed Tirbanie for 12 and a half years for each count of rape, to be served concurrently – at the same time. He also imposed a sentence of three years and ten months for intentional suffocation, also to be served concurrently.
The judge told Tirbanie that he would be registered as a sex offender for life and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for life to try to prevent him from reoffending.
His professional registration was suspended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in April and the suspension was confirmed last month, pending striking off proceedings.
Sussex Police said that the girl “has been supported by specially trained officers as well as her family”, adding: “Following a five-day trial at Lewes Crown Court, starting on Monday 12 August, he was found guilty on all three counts.”
Detective Constable Sally Coleman said: “Tirbanie breached the trust of his victim and carried out appalling crimes which will impact her for life.
“We are safeguarding the victim who showed huge amounts of bravery to help get Tirbanie convicted for the trauma and distress he caused.
“Sussex Police take all reports of rape and sexual assault seriously and encourage victims to report any incidents to police.
“You will be heard. We will support you. And we will do everything we can to bring perpetrators to justice.”
