Sitter gets bail release pending appeal of child abuse sentence

Attorneys Latchmie Rahamat and Joel Edmond

By Jeanna Pearson

Fatima Martin, the 19-year-old babysitter sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting a one-year-old baby last week, was yesterday granted a bail release by the High Court, pending the outcome of an appeal of her sentencing.

Martin was granted her release on $100,000 bail by acting Chief Justice Ian Chang, even as the father of the child emphasised that his daughter was the real victim in his first public statement, while the magistrate responsible for the sentence denied allegations of bias.

Martin was given the maximum sentence for inflicting grievous bodily harm on