Daisy, a child born from the rape of a 13-year-old child and then abandoned by her biological mother, filed a complaint against her father. 50 years after the assault, he has just been sentenced in Birmingham.
It is a unique trial of its kind which took place on Monday, August 2, 2021 at the Assizes in Birmingham. In the dock, it was Carvel Bennett, 74, who faced jurors in a case of rape of a minor dating … from the 1970s. It took two hours of deliberation for the man to be designated guilty.
At the origin of this trial is Daisy, a 45-year-old Englishwoman who was adopted at 7 months old. When she comes of age, she obtains access to her adoption file and discovers that the one who gave birth to her was only 13 years old. The latter, according to the documents, had been raped by a 28-year-old man, without the latter ever being worried by the courts after a police investigation. Daisy therefore decides to hunt him down so that he is finally condemned. Without knowing that she will have to face years of police inaction.
The police did not understand why the child born of rape wanted to file a complaint and not the rape victim herself. Ten years of battle were necessary for this trial to see the light of day. The English courts first designated his complaint as a “abusive procedure” divisive and oppressive. The problem is that Daisy is, to this day, the first child born of rape to file a complaint against her father.
“I’m a walking crime scene, said the Englishwoman daily The Guardian. I wanted justice to be done for my biological mother but also for me. The acts committed by Carvel Bennett have marked my entire life. It is because of this crime that I exist. I am living proof of a rape of a minor. “
One rape, two victims
Then she had to convince her biological mother to testify, something she had always refused in order not to relive the trauma of rape. Daisy first met her when she was 20 and soon realized that her mother would never press charges. Without however refusing to help her daughter without her formalities. it was mainly because of her testimony that Daisy’s procedure was taken seriously. In addition to the witnesses, DNA tests carried out on Daisy, her biological mother and the defendant have clearly attested to their relationship.
Daisy’s mother, 59 today, spoke at the bar to recount the nightmare she experienced on her way to Carvel Bennett’s for a simple night of babysitting in the 70s. Arrive at the home where she has to watch several children, one of them tells her that she is called by Mr. Bennett upstairs. The 13-year-old girl is surprised to know that the father is present at the scene. He had been asked to come expressly to keep an eye on the children in the absence of their parents. She does so and walks into the man’s room, who immediately closes the door and tells him not to make a sound. According to the testimony of Daisy’s mother, Carvel Bennett assures her that he is not going to hurt her, before raping her and asking her to never talk about it in person.
“He asked me to shut up so I shut up. I let him do what he wanted. I let him abuse me. I was in shock. I was just a little girl. who was scared. I did not attack Mr. Bennett in return. I was just 13 years old “, said the fifty-something.
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Carvel Bennett doesn’t ask for forgiveness
The accused denies having raped her. He says it was she who made advances to him and that he was convinced that she was 16 years old. “I didn’t know she was 13. It wasn’t a premeditated act. I don’t think I have to apologize for anything to her. I didn’t hurt her. I didn’t. don’t remember her at all as a scared child. “ His defense was not enough for the jury, which found him guilty. It is this Tuesday, August 3, 2021 that we will know finally the final verdict, that of the judge, which will rule on the length of the sentence. The man is currently being held in pre-trial detention.
On Daisy’s side, the jury’s conclusion is a relief. She explains to The Guardian : “I have been waiting for justice for 46 years. I am happy and upset, but why did I have to wait so long? rape like me be recognized. “
Dan Hastings
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