(CMR) A man who sexually abused two sisters over several years, starting when they were both under 10 years old, was sentenced to 35 years in prison by the Bermuda Supreme Court on Monday. Locksley Cummings (43), described as a vile and cruel monster, was found guilty of five counts of sexual exploitation.
Puisne Judge Shade Subair-Williams sentenced Cummings to 17 years for two counts against the first victim and 18 years for three counts against the second victim. The sentences are to run consecutively, and he will have to spend 17½ years behind bars before being eligible for parole.
Although criminals can usually apply for parole after serving one-third of their sentence, Cummings must serve at least half before being eligible.
According to the Royal Gazette, Cummings started abusing the first victim between 2007 and 2009 when she was only 8 or 9. He reportedly touched her sexually on one occasion and had intercourse with her on a second occasion.
Seven years later, Cummings began preying on the younger sister of the first victim, who was also a young girl at the time. Between 2016 and 2021, Cummings had intercourse multiple times with his second victim and also made her perform a sex act on him on one occasion.
Most of the incidents reportedly occurred at Cummings’s home; however, he has denied carrying out the abuse.
Justice Subair-Williams said Cummings’s crimes were one of the worst non-death cases she had ever seen in Bermuda, the Gazette reported.
The judge said, “To think that any person could be so vile and cruel. May you one day step away from your cowardly denial of these heinous crimes and address your demons. You will have to ask yourself the question, ‘Can I ever forgive myself?’”
One of the victims who gave a victim impact statement said she considered suicide due to the physical and emotional trauma. She stated that he started abusing her at around seven years old.
“During the times that he would be doing sexual things to me, it would hurt so much I would cry. I would wish everyone disappeared. I would even wish that I had disappeared, but after he would finish, I would go back to normal,” she said.
The teen said she felt abandoned and alone throughout the years of abuse.
Justice Subair-Williams, in sentencing Cummings, said there were several aggravating factors, including the age of the victims, the predatory nature of the repeated attacks, and that the victims had suffered physical injuries at the hands of Cummings. She also noted that Cummings had shown no remorse.
She said there was no reason to reduce the length of the sentence, which reflected “the gravity” of the offenses, and that a strong deterrent message needed to be sent out to the community.
After his eventual release, Cummings must serve a ten-year supervision order; he was listed as high risk of reoffending if given a chance.
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