By Sue-Ann Wayow
A FATHER, teenager, labourer and mechanic have all been charged for sexual crimes committed against young girls ages 14 and 13.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Serice (TTPS) on Thursday issued four releases surrounding the circumstances of the arrests.
Police reported that last Friday, a 54-year-old man was remanded into custody after appearing virtually before the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court, charged with four counts of sexual offences against his 14-year-old daughter.
The accused was remanded by Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor until his nationality could be determined.
He was charged with one count of Sexual Touching of a Child and three counts of Sexual Penetration of a Child by WPC Kerr, of the Western Division Child Protection Unit (CPU).
The charges stem from a March 2, police report in which a girl told officers of the Maraval Police Station of the alleged acts performed against her.
CPU detectives later took the lead in the probe in which it was discovered that on dates unknown between December 2022 to February 2023, the accused allegedly sexually touched his daughter’s vagina and had sexual intercourse with her at his home.
He is expected to reappear the court on Friday.
In Siparia, a labourer, 27, from Siparia was granted bail in the sum of $75,000, when he appeared at the Siparia Magistrates’ Court on July 15, charged with Sexual Touching after being charged on the same day.
The man was arrested after officers of the Special Victims Department conducted an investigation into an incident, which was reported in November 2022.
Police reported that around 2 am on November 27, 2022, a woman awoke from sleeping and noticed that her niece was not in her bed. She looked outside and observed a motor vehicle parked in front of their home, however, upon approaching the said vehicle it drove off.
When the woman questioned her 14-year-old niece, she gave her certain information which led to the investigation of the offence and the arrest of the accused.
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The accused is due to appear in court on August 3.
In Tobago, the teenager, 18, pleaded not guilty to two counts of Sexual Penetration of a Child last Friday at the Scarborough Magistrates’ Court.
He was granted $95,000 bail with a surety.
The accused, who resides in Tobago, is scheduled to reappear on September 9 to answer the charges.
He was arrested and charged by WPC Lashley-Smith, of the Tobago Division Child Protection Unit (CPU), with the offences following investigations into a police report on May 1 in which a 13-year-old girl reported to officers of the Shirvan Road Police Station of the alleged sexual acts.
According to the report, on April 22, sometime after 5 pm, the girl was at a recreational ground when she met the accused. After liming for a few minutes, it is alleged that they went to an apartment adjacent to the location where they had sexual intercourse.
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CPU detectives also learned that on April 29, around 7.45 pm, she was at the same location with a friend viewing football. She subsequently left and met the accused at another location where a similar act subsequently reoccurred.
Those accused were all arrested on July 13.
And from California, a 45-year-old mechanic was granted bail in the sum of $250,000, with a surety by Magistrate Alexander Prince, when he appeared at the Couva Magistrates’ Court, on July 14.
The accused was arrested on July 14 and formally charged with five counts of Sexual Penetration of a Child and four counts of Sexual Touching of a Child. The accused was also ordered to report to the St Margaret’s Police Station once per week and to stay 100 feet away from the 14-year-old victim.
The man was arrested after officers of the Special Victims Department conducted an investigation into an incident, which was reported back in January 2021. According to the report, between 2017 and 2020, a man allegedly frequently touched the victim and inserted his finger into her private parts.
Sometime in October 2020, the man also allegedly held down the girl and allowed his 15-year-old nephew to have sexual intercourse with her.
The accused is due to appear in court on August 11.
All investigations were supervised by Superintendent Claire Guy- Alleyne and involved officers of the Special Victims Department and other police officers.
