A highly respected community pastor from Hermanus, Marshall Dicks, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for the rape of a 16-year-old girl.
Story Summary:
- Hermanus pastor Marshall Dicks sentenced to 22 years in prison for assaulting a 16-year-old girl.
- The assault occurred in 2020, but the case came to light when the girl’s father discovered she was pregnant.
- DNA tests linked Dicks to the pregnancy, confirming he was the father of the child.
Respected Hermanus pastor, Marshall Dicks, sentenced for assault
The Western Cape Regional Court handed down the sentence on Tuesday, 10 September 2024, following a thorough investigation by the Hermanus Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, Western Cape police spokesperson Anelisiwe Manyana confirmed in a statement.
According to court documents, the assault occurred on 15 December 2020, when Dicks invited the teenager to his home in Lindsord Street, Hermanus, under the guise of donating clothes.
Once she arrived, Dicks forced her into his bedroom, where he covered her mouth and nose until she lost consciousness.
The victim later woke up naked but did not immediately report the incident.
DNA evidence led to Dicks’ arrest
The incident came to light only when the victim’s father noticed her pregnancy several months later.
Suspicious of foul play, he confronted Dicks, who denied the allegations.
However, after the baby was born, a DNA test confirmed Dicks as the biological father, leading to his arrest.
Western Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile commended the investigating team for their relentless pursuit of justice.
“There is no shame in reporting sexual offences,” Patekile said.
“Women’s rights are a top priority in the fight against crimes of this nature. Victims are treated with the utmost respect and dignity, and we encourage anyone who has been assaulted to come forward.”
The court found Dicks guilty of rape, and the presiding judge described his actions as a “gross abuse of trust and authority.”
