No bail again for man on buggery charges

BAIL has again been denied to Josiah Kyle Nicholas, who is facing 18 charges, including kidnapping, buggery and sexual assault of multiple victims, with ages ranging from 12 to 37, when he reappeared before a Port of Spain magistrate on today.

Nicholas, 22, of Strathclyde Avenue, Cascade, first appeared before magistrate Adia Mohammed on Monday, when 13 of the 18 charges against him were read out.

He was not called to enter a plea on those charges and reappeared before her yesterday, when bail was denied. He will return to the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court on May 24.

Nicholas will also appear in the Arima Magistrates Court on Wednesday to answer to some of those 18 charges which allegedly occurred in that district. He is represented by attorneys Shiva Boodoo and Roshni Balkaran.

According to the charges against Nicholas, an auto mechanic, the offences took place in Port of Spain and Arima during a three-week period in April.

In the Port of Spain incident, he is alleged to have kidnapped and raped a 12-year-old boy on April 28, when the victim, who was walking along Gordon Street, was forced into an SUV at gunpoint, blindfolded, driven away and sexually assaulted.. Arising out of that alleged incident, Nicholas was charged with common assault; possession of a firearm; kidnapping, false imprisonment; sexual penetration; sexual touching; robbery with violence; driving without a drivers’ permit; and driving without an insurance certificate.

He was granted bail on the traffic offences.

It is also alleged on that same day, armed with a gun, Nicholas accosted a 37-year-old woman, who was at her home in the Arima district.

The woman was allegedly robbed and sexually assaulted. Nicholas was charged with robbery and grievous sexual assault.

Also on April 28, it is alleged a 27-year-old man, who was awaiting transport on Mausica Road, D’Abadie, was forced at gunpoint into an SUV, taken to an abandoned house at Andrew Lane, D’Abadie, and made to remove his clothing.

Nicholas was charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment in relation to that alleged incident.

According to the police, on April 8, an 18-year-old man, who was awaiting transport along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Trincity, was ordered at gunpoint into an SUV and taken to an abandoned house at Andrew Lane.

For this alleged incident, Nicholas was charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, buggery, grievous sexual assault and robbery.

Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Port of Spain Division, acting Snr Supt Ajith Persad, led the investigations into the incident involving the minor and the charges were laid by WPC Trudy McClean. The charges related to the alleged incidents in the Northern Division were laid by PCs Thomas and Ramsawak and WPC Pamponette of the Arima CID.