For the fourth time in two weeks, a jury returned a guilty verdict against a man charged with sexually battering a child, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
And for the third time in those two weeks, the defendant was sentenced to life in prison.
Nickolas Davison, 24, who has been in custody since his 2017 arrest, was found guilty of Sexual Battery on a Child under the Age of 12 and Lewd and Lascivious Molestation after less than an hour of deliberation on the case presented by prosecutors Peter Overstreet and Josh James.
Circuit Judge Dedee Costello gave Davison two life sentences and designated him as a sexual predator.
Testimony from the state’s three witnesses showed the victim, who was 6 at the time, reported the abuse to her mother, who then contacted Lynn Haven police. The victim, now 10, was interviewed by investigators at the Gulf Coast Child Advocacy Center and testified Wednesday, saying the defendant had used his fingers and his mouth on her vagina.
“She was just going on about her life like any child,” Overstreet told jurors, explaining the defendant often started the abuse with tickling. “But Mr. Davison, the defendant, did more than just tickle the victim.”
Retired Lynn Haven Police Department Lt. Tom Willoughby, who now lives in another state, interviewed the defendant before arresting him. He testified live via Zoom and his interview with the defendant was played for jurors.
In it, while initially denying wrongdoing, Davison ultimately admitted to committing the acts over a period of 5-6 months.
“No child should have to endure that,” Overstreet told jurors in his closing statement. “The defendant needs to be held accountable; he is guilty as charged.”
For additional information contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov or (850) 381-7454.