WESTERN BUREAU

After spending the last five months in prison, accused of breaking into a woman's house to steal photographs and money, Radcliff Grant of Bogue, St James, was released on bail when he appeared in court on Wednesday.

Grant was offered bail, in his own surety, in the sum of $10,000 when he appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court. He told the court that he would reside in Galloway, Westmoreland. Grant was ordered to report to the Bethel Town Police Station on Wednesdays.

Psychiatric evaluation

The accused man had been kept in custody for psychiatric evaluation after the court was informed that it was what appeared to be an obsession with the complainant that led him to break into her home in Bogue. However, Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry on Wednesday said it was time to offer bail. He is scheduled to return to court on April 1.

The prosecution has alleged that the complainant locked and left her home on August 28 but returned the following day and saw the words "love you 100 per cent" written on her coffee table, in the form of decorative marbles.

Missing photos

She went to her wardrobe where she observed that two photographs and $5,000 from her purse was missing. When she spoke to her neighbours, she was told the accused was seen coming from her window at 4:30 a.m. She made a report and when Grant was arrested the photographs were recovered.

Grant, however, said he did not break into her house and that a woman gave him the photos. The complainant told the police that the accused was always staring at her and making provocative statements prior to the incident.

Grant, who has a previous conviction for larceny for which he was sentenced to six months in prison in the Savanna-la-Mar RM Court in 2007, has denied the allegations.