(Trinidad Express) An eighteen-year-old pupil charged with the rape of a 15-year-old has been granted bail.
Michael Smith appeared before San Fernando senior magistrate Jo-Anne Connor on Monday charged with the sexual penetration of the teenager on two occasions last Friday at a house in San Fernando.
The alleged offences occurred after she was confronted by a friend of a schoolmate.
Constable Diamond of the Child Protection Unit laid the charges.
At his first appearance before Connor on Monday, Smith a secondary school pupil who lives in Santa Cruz, was remanded into custody for his criminal background to be checked. He returned to court the following day and the tracing showed he had a clean record.
Defence attorney Shaun Teekasingh made reference to this as he petitioned the court for bail for his client. He also said that Smith had been in custody since over the weekend without the tracing being done.
Police prosecutor Ramdath Phillip referred to Smith’s record as he made no objection to bail.
Connor placed Smith on $75,000 bail. A cash alternative was also granted.
The matter was adjourned to November 3.
