Stepfather accused of serious indecency

Allegations that he committed an act of serious indecency on his 13-year-old stepdaughter and assaulted his wife, who is the child’s mother, landed a 53-year-old St Michael man before the law court today.

The accused, whose name and address are being withheld to protect the child who resides in his household, was not required to plead to the indictable charges that he committed the crime against the minor on May 12 and her mother the following day causing her bodily harm.

Sergeant Edwin Pinder made it clear that he was “vehemently” objecting to bail for the accused.  He pointed to the nature and seriousness of the offence, given that the complainant in the matter was a “junior member of society that must be protected,” as well as the fact that she is the accused’s stepdaughter.

“They live in the same household and there is great fear that he might re-offend . . . on both parties since the cases are inextricably linked.”

Attorney-at-law Dennis Headley who represents the man made submissions in favour of bail. He told the District ‘A’ Traffic Court that at this stage the charges proffered against his client were allegations and “the accused professes his innocence”.

The defence lawyer also submitted among his other arguments that the accused, who “volunteered himself to police” had an alternative place to live should he be granted bail giving the concern raised by the prosecution.

“Despite the fact that these are serious allegations  . . . his freedom should not be taken away from him based only on the nature and seriousness on the offence or likely punishment,” said Headley who told the court the accused had no outstanding charges before the court and no allegation of a like kind in his history.

“Though serious . . . these allegations are easy to make, as it is often one person’s word against another,” he said as he also disclosed that his client, who walked with a cane, was suffering from a number of health issues.

Hadley further submitted before the magistrate ruled that the accused would be remanded to the Psychiatric Hospital until June 4 that, “Prison is not the place for my client in these times of social distancing”.