Teacher and three others deny sex offences

Owain Johnston-Barnes

A teacher has denied more than a dozen sexual offences involving three young girls.

The guest worker pleaded not guilty this morning to seven charges of intruding on the privacy of a young girl, six counts of sexually exploiting a young person and one count of committing an act of indecency involving a child.

The incidents allegedly occurred between September 2012 and June 2014. Neither the defendant nor the three complainants can be identified for legal reasons.

Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves extended the defendant’s bail until late next month, when he is expected to return to court for trial.

He was just one of four men who denied sexual offences in Supreme Court this morning.

A Sandys man pleaded not guilty to serious sexual assault using a utility knife and depriving a woman of her liberty in an incident on November 16 last year. The 50-year-old is expected to return to the courts next month for trial.

A 20-year-old Pembroke man denied charges of having unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16, along with luring the girl using WhatsApp. Both offences allegedly occurred on August 9 last year.

The defendant is set to return to court during next month’s arraignments session.

Another man, a 22-year-old, denied four counts of having unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 14, two counts of sexually exploiting the same girl and using electronic communication to lure the victim.

The offences allegedly occurred between July and September in 2013. That matter has been scheduled to return before the courts in April.

Also appearing during the busy arraignments session this morning was 39-year-old Garth Bell, from Pembroke, who denied a charge of causing grievous bodily harm to his stepfather, Herbie Spencer, during an altercation last August.

Laurell Steede, 39, meanwhile, denied a charge of possessing $97,374 in cash, representing the proceeds of crime, and Clienty Butterfield, 35, denied two charges of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Mr Bell, Ms Steede and Mr Butterfield were all given trial dates in May.

Source: royalgazette