By Rasbert Turner, Spanish Town

The police on Sunday arrested a man that they say was using two boys that he took into his care as sex slaves.

The Spanish Town police say that at about 11:30 p.m. members of the Point Hill police took the two 14-year-old boys to their station after they received information from concerned residents of the teens' sexual exploitation. The accused man who is in his 40s, had taken them into his house with the intention of caring for them and sending them to school.

For several months the boys were not sent to school and were used to do vending and other menial labour. It is further claimed that they were subjected to sexually exploitation whenever the accused felt the need to do so.

The police say that they are concerned about the high level of sexual exploitation that is now taking place. They say that just a week ago they also took a woman in Linstead, St. Catherine, into custody after she was held with two 15-year-old girls in a compromising position.

Last year while most criminal activities were reduced significantly, the cases of sexual offences rose and has continued to do so even in recent times.