Police seek Newtown man over sex attack on girl, 5

NALINEE SEELAL

A 37-year-old man who committed two sexual offences against a five-year-old girl on Tuesday, was being sought yesterday by the police Child Protection Unit.

The child went with her mother to the man’s Picton Street, Newtown, Port of Spain, home around 7 pm on Tuesday, and her mother left her with the man for a short period.

The man reportedly took her to the upper floor of the house and ordered her to remove her underwear. He committed two sexual offences against the girl and threatened to hurt her if she told her mother about it.

When the child’s mother returned, the girl was distraught and asked to go home. On the way to their Laventille home she began sobbing and told her mother what had happened. They went to the Child Protection Unit at the Belmont Police Station, made a report and the girl was medically examined. She is expected to undergo counselling.

The Children’s Authority was also informed of the incident.

At a recent weekly press briefing, Sgt Michelle Lewis of the CPU said the number of offences committed against children continues to be a great source of concern for the police.

She said statistics showed sexual penetration against a child constituted more than 60 per cent of all reported attacks on minors for 2015, 2016 and 2017.

“We see that sexual touching is the second highest prevailing offence and we have also seen cruelty against a child as the third highest,” Lewis said.