No bail for man accused of fondling girls

By Tashieka Mair

Star Writer

western bureau

Senior Resident Magistrate for St. James, Winsome Henry, has ordered further investigation into a case of a man accused of indecently assaulting his two under-aged stepdaughters with a view of additional charges being levied against him.

"People who are charged with assault and ganja are kept in jail yet this man is interfering with a six and nine-year-old and he is on bail," the RM commented when the matter was brought before the Montego Bay RM Court on Wednesday.

"Be prepared to make a bail application because I don't see why this man is on bail," she told defence attorney, Jacqueline Minto.

The 43-year-old man's $50,000 station bail was subsequently revoked.

The RM took this decision after the court was informed that the accused man and his mother had threatened the complainants' mother. He returns to court on January 18.

Allegations are that in November last year, the nine-year-old complainant was at home with the stepfather when he placed his hand under her skirt before 'deep-kissing' her. The child made a report to her mother.

The child also alleges that it has happened before but her mother would only reprimand the accused. She also alleges that she has seen the act being done to her six-year-old sister.

Ms. Minto in her bail application said the allegations were only being made because her client refused to continue having a relationship with the children's mother. She said that her client moved out of the house months before the incident.

However, RM Henry denied bail saying she feared that he might interfere with the complainants. She also warned family members of the accused man to stay away from the complainants.