No bail for rape accused

SHARLENE RAMPERSAD

The five people accused of a total of 14 counts of sexual assault on two preteen girls were all denied bail when they appeared before a Princes Town magistrate yesterday.

The accused, Shelly Ann Springer, 40, her son Tarique Allyene, 22, cousins Jonathon, 19, and Tyrell Cummins, 20, and Carlon Singh, 18, faced Magistrate Michelle Maharajh-Brown yesterday morning to apply for bail.

They had first appeared before her last Friday and were all remanded into custody for tracing.

Police confirmed that one of the victims is four months pregnant.

When the matters were called yesterday, police prosecutor Sgt Mohammed objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the offences, the age of the victims and the concern that the accused might interfere with the victims and witnesses if granted bail. Maharajh-Brown then denied them bail.

Springer, of New Grant, Princes Town, was charged with sexually penetrating a girl who was ten years old at the time, at North Trace, New Grant between January 1 and December 31, 2015. She was also charged with two counts of sexually touching a ten-year-old girl during the same period. Alleyne, also of New Grant, was charged with two counts of sexual penetration of a ten-year-old girl between January 1 and December 31, 2015 at North Trace, New Grant.

Jonathon Cummins was charged with sexually penetrating a 12-year-old girl at Bonanza Street, Princes Town, between July 1 and August 31 this year. Tyrell Cummins was charged with one count of sexually touching and three counts of sexual penetration between the same dates at the same location.

Singh, 18, was charged with sexually penetrating a 12-year-old girl at Bonanza Street, Princes Town sometime between July 1 and August 31 this year. He faced another charge of sexual penetration, which allegedly occurred at the same place sometime between January 1 and December 31, 2016. He was also charged with sexually touching a 12-year-old girl and sexually penetrating a 12-year-old girl at Bonanza Street Princes Town sometime between July 1 and August 31 of this year.

The charges were laid by Cpl Nicole St John of the Southern Division Child Protection Unit (CPU) after months of investigation. Police say the incidents were unearthed after the father of one of the victims took her to hospital and was told she was pregnant.