Popular Antiguan entertainer Harrison Horsford, better known as Jesse Fyah, has been ordered to pay compensation to his victim and a fine to the court after being sentenced for indecent assault and serious indecency.

According to Wadadli Case Files, the sentence was handed down on Thursday, nearly two months after a jury found Horsford guilty of both offences. He had remained behind bars awaiting sentencing since his conviction in May.

Justice Ann Marie Smith ordered Horsford to pay $5,000 in compensation to the complainant and a $3,000 fine to the court. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions has signalled the Crown’s intention to appeal the sentence, with prosecutors arguing it is too lenient. The offences each carry a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

The convictions stem from an incident on October 27, 2020, involving a woman in her early twenties who had known Horsford for several years and had previously shared a casual relationship with him.

During the trial, the court heard that the complainant accepted a ride from Horsford, believing he would take her home. Instead, after stopping briefly at his workplace, Horsford drove in the direction of Darkwood, telling her he needed to meet someone about a billboard.

When they arrived, there was no meeting.

Prosecutors said Horsford returned to the vehicle and began making unwanted sexual advances. The complainant testified that he kissed her without her consent and, when she resisted, grabbed her by the throat. She told the court that Horsford exposed and touched her breasts and forcibly touched her private area while telling her she “belonged” to him.

Despite repeatedly asking to be taken home, she said Horsford instead ordered her out of the vehicle, leaving her stranded on the roadside.

A passing motorist stopped to assist her and later testified that she was crying, visibly distressed and clutching her clothing when she got into the vehicle. The driver took her directly to the Johnson Point Police Station, where the matter was reported.

Horsford denied the allegations during the trial, giving an unsworn statement in which he claimed he had only offered the complainant a ride after seeing her standing in the rain. He said the pair spoke about employment opportunities and that he encouraged her to send him a résumé.

According to Horsford, the complainant later asked him for $3,000, which he refused, before dropping her off. He also claimed he only learned of the allegations later that evening after receiving a Facebook message accusing him of rape and responded by warning that his attorney would take legal action if false claims continued.

The jury rejected his version of events, returning guilty verdicts on both counts after less than an hour of deliberation.

While delivering the sentence, Justice Smith said Horsford appeared to believe the complainant’s perceived sexual history entitled him to treat her as he did. She rejected that notion, stressing that every woman has the right to refuse sexual advances and that her decision must always be respected.

Horsford was represented by attorney George Lake, while Crown Counsel Curtis Cornelius prosecuted the case on behalf of the state. The prosecution’s appeal is expected to challenge the sentence imposed by the court.