The Hindu : U.S. airman jailed for rape

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 29, 2002

International

International

U.S. airman jailed for rape

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE MARCH. 28 . An American airman was sentenced to a 32-month jail term today for raping a Japanese woman on Okinawa island in June 2001. U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant, Timothy Woodland (25) was pronounced guilty by a Japanese court in Naha, Okinawa, for raping the woman on the hood of a car in a shopping area.

``It is nothing but rape and the crime is horrendous,'' the judge, Soichi Hayashida, ruled in a crowded courtroom.

For his part, Woodland denied the charges, maintaining that the sex was consensual. Throwing out the accused's contention, the judge said: "The pain inflicted on the victim, both physical and psychological, is grave. And the accused has shown no signs of remorse. Therefore it is only natural that a heavy punishment be sought.'' The case had generated considerable resentment against the Americam presence on Okinawa as Washington had delayed the handing over of the rape accused to Japanese authorities.

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